June brings along many uncertainties and impasses in academic life. It is a decisive month for our students, not only because of the exams, which are already taking place, but also because of the expectation that revolves around the new clinical education model to be implemented as of September. For this reason, we challenge students, professors and also the rest of the FMUL community to know the main reasons that motivate the New Reform of Clinical Education (main reasons for the New Reform of Medical Education).
In June, the end of the cycle, our Aula Magna again filled with black capes, albeit in a shy way, due to the limitations caused by the still present pandemic. A remarkable moment of farewells – We said “Goodbye” to António Velha and his team, but also welcomed the new President of the AEFML, João Martins and his team.
For these up-and-coming future doctors, it's time to consider opportunities and plan for what's to come soon. Therefore, they now have the opportunity to prepare for new challenges, in which they can be leaders and “make it happen”. The Student Support Office is looking for charismatic students for the Mentoring, Mentoring 2.0, Solvin' It and Take On Projects Coordination Scholarships. GAPIC, in a perspective of constant learning development, promotes a set initiatives such as: Science is lighting – GAPIC 2021 Contests and Online Research Support Courses.
With the end of the academic year at hand, June is the month of reflexion. We must review what has been done over the year and evaluate ourselves. Seeking to do better is the motto of the new heading: 2020 in Analysis, which during June forced the entire community to revisit its achievements in the fields of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and External Relations, and Administrative Organization and Modernization. It is also time to look back on the past timeline and understand the impact of Covid-19 on FMUL students and assess the type of support that has been given to them.
Although half-heartedly, caused by the stress of the evaluation period, our Medical School continues to show growth and achievements: The Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Centre received European accreditation. Out of the synergy established with the University of Madeira (UMA), the opening of year 3 of the Medical Degree at UMA was celebrated, and members of our faculty and researchers continue to do what they do best: Science. This is the case of Full Professor Carmo Fonseca and her team who discovered a new technique that deciphers all the discourse of cells during transcription from DNA to RNA.
Speaking of distinctions, it is impossible not to mention some of the latest events that had the mark of Professor Fausto J. Pinto, Director of our Faculty, and one of the greatest advocates of our brand. He was awarded a medal of merit by the Medical Association. Across borders, he was received at the World Health Organisation, as President of the World Heart Federation, with the purpose of discussing and reinforcing the collaboration of both parties in the global fight against cardiovascular diseases.
We're all tired, but Sars-Cov-2 isn't, and it is still talked about. After the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon regressing in the lockdown easing measures, motivated by the advance of the Delta variant, Professors Luís Graça and Miguel Prudêncio inform us about the cases of infection after complete vaccination.
Health is such a valuable and so often undervalued asset by all of us. It was also in June that World Blood Donor Day and Dravet’s Syndrome International Day were celebrated – “epileptic encephalopathy in the first year of life that manifests itself in apparently healthy children. From 4 months of age onwards, generalized or unilateral clonic or tonic-clonic seizures with low fever, high recurrence and longer duration than in febrile seizures can occur”- Professor Tiago Proença dos Santos, a neuro-paediatrician, explained the difficulties of this little-known disease prone to misdiagnosis.
In short, the best of June. Keep up with us, stay informed and keep reading.
Isabel Varela
Editorial Team
