TCD’s School of Medicine Launches Tercentenary Website

Posted on: 30 March 2009

The School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin in preparation for its tercentenary in 2011  launched its tercentenary website on Friday March 27th last at an event in the Science Gallery.  The School’s alumni, members of the tercentenary board and staff were present. The website www.medicine.tcd.ie/tercentenary/ illustrates the school’s past and present achievements as well as outlining its plans in the run up to the tercentenary celebrations.

The School of Medicine has played a pivotal role in making Irish medicine and medical practice of international importance. It has a proud tradition of scholarship and research and has made a significant contribution to the development of medicine. The new tercentenary website presents a history of Trinity medicine, which was prepared by Professor of Medical Gerontology, Professor Davis Coakley, who is an authority on the history of Irish medicine. It also contains information about the school’s current educational programmes, its research leaders, partnerships and key student activities.

A key feature of the website is an outline of the School of Medicine’s ambitious goals in association with the tercentenary, which include; the establishment of an academic medical centre with its teaching hospitals; building of a new home of the School of Medicine in the TCD biosciences development which is due to open in 2011; and developing a collection of Trinity medical history in close association with colleagues from the School of Histories and Humanities.

The website also highlights the people who are assisting the School of Medicine to implement its tercentenary priorities including the Tercentenary Board and others who contribute generously in various ways to help the school continue its 300-year tradition of excellence. The website’s ‘Alumni Stories’ section aims to become a repository of recollections of the School of Medicine’s graduates.

Commenting on the initiative, the Head of the School of Medicine and Vice Provost for Medical Affairs, Professor Dermot Kelleher said: “The tercentenary website is a great resource that brings together the School of Medicine’s rich history and its achievements. I hope that all our alumni and friends will visit the website regularly to keep abreast of all the developments in connection with the tercentenary and, more importantly, will come and participate in the celebrations in 2011.”

Professor dermot kelleher

Professor Dermot Kelleher, Head of the School of Medicine and Vice-Provost for Medical Affairs, speaking at the Tercentenary website launch.

About the TCD School of Medicine

Founded in 1711, the School of Medicine now has 640 students from 35 countries. Prominent alumni include:

Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774), writer, poet and physician
Robert Graves (1797-1853), discovered and described hyperthyroidism
William Stokes (1804-1878), acknowledged internationally as one of the founders of cardiology
Denis Burkitt (1911-1993), discovered, described and diagnosed Burkitt’s Lymphoma