DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD
A SPECIAL HONOUR The Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, RCSI recognises a medical or dental graduate who has made an outstanding contribution to healthcare, education, research, humanitarian aid and patient care
■ AUBREY MORRISON, MBBS, MACP, FASN, Professor Emeritus, Division of Nephrology, John T Milliken Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, St Louis, was bestowed with the 2021 Distinguished Graduate Award by the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates.
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very year the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates (AMDG), RCSI presents the Distinguished Graduate Award to a medical or dental graduate who has made an outstanding contribution to healthcare, education, research, humanitarian aid and patient care. The award was established in 1988. Professor Aubrey R Morrison (Class of 1970) is the 17th awardee of the medal. Founded in 1932, the AMDG promotes social and professional connections between fellow RCSI graduates throughout the world. All graduates from the School of Medicine and former School of Dentistry become life members automatically upon graduation and are invited to attend and get involved with the annual programme of events and awards. The 2021 award presentation, made last August as part of the Alumni Gathering 2021, was once again a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was broadcast via the RCSI Alumni YouTube channel. President of the Association, Dr Patrick Troy led the ceremony, and a citation given by fellow Guyanese and personal friend, Dr Pamela Mangal (Class of 1971), detailed Professor Morrison’s distinguished accomplishments and described the trajectory of his career. Following the citation, Professor Morrison expressed his pleasure at receiving the award: “I am deeply and extremely honoured to be awarded and presented with this prestigious award from my alma mater.” Professor Aubrey Rohan Morrison was born in Georgetown, Guyana, South America and came to Dublin in 1964 to commence his studies in Medicine at RCSI. He described his arrival at RCSI as “eye-opening”. “I rubbed shoulders with students from all over the world who had different customs and spoke different primary languages. It made an indelible impression on me. The Graduation experience coloured my view of the world from RCSI. and enriched my life.”
As a student Professor Morrison excelled. He was awarded the Norman Rae Memorial Gold Medal in Biochemistry in 1966, the Evart Memorial Medal in Anatomy in 1966, the Stoney Memorial Gold Medal in Anatomy in 1967 and the Dominic Corrigan Prize in Medicine in 1970 (Jervis Street Hospital). Professor Morrison cited the impact of the many “wonderful and committed teachers and lecturers at RCSI” on the trajectory of his career, giving special mention to a previous recipient of the Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award, Professor Moira O’Brien “who exhorted me to raise the bar”, and to Professor William O’Dwyer “who kindled in me an interest in nephrology”.
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