News
Class of 76 Welcomed at TORT Centre
Fifty-three medical graduates from the Class of 1976 visited the TORT Centre, the Clinical Skills Centre and the new Medical School Library and Teaching facilities on Saturday 9th July 2016. These were the fourth batch of students to graduate from the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee and were specially invited by Pamela Lawrence, Alumni Relations Officer at the University, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their graduation at Dundee.
The graduates were divided into three groups and alternated between the three facilities at Ninewells Hospital before heading to the city and to their exclusive alumni dinner at DUSA. At TORT, the visitors were given an extensive tour by Professor Abboud and a live demonstration of the high-tech equipment at the Institute of Motion Analysis & Research (MAR) with the IMAR Technical Manager, Dr Graham Arnold, kitted out with reflective markers for a true 3D gait analysis demonstration which captivated the doctors who did not have the opportunity to see or work with similar systems throughout their careers in medicine.
Left: Professor Abboud shares a laugh with the Class of '76; Right: a markered-up Dr Arnold demonstrating the motion capture system at IMAR
Philippe and Jane Boissiere, who got married during their time in Dundee, organised the Alumni reunion for a two-day visit to the School of Medicine and Ninewells Hospital and the City of many discoveries. Ninety-two graduates and their partners returned to Dundee with group members travelling from as far afield as Qatar and New Zealand. Also attending was Professor Rod MacLeod who was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015 for his service to Terminal Care.
Professor Rami Abboud stated: “It was by mistake that I got to know about this visit when I was sitting next to Philippe at the graduation lunch on Friday 24 June. I was impressed by the reunion and felt compelled to offer the Class of '76 the opportunity to see our facilities at IMAR whilst visiting the Medical School. Thanks to the goodwill of my staff, Sadiq Nasir and Graham Arnold, this was made possible to welcome the 53 graduates and their partners and organise a live demonstration on Saturday 9th July 2016. It was a great pleasure to play host to the group that had many questions about what we do and we of course could not stick to the timetable as a consequence! Subsequent to the visit, I received a letter from Dr Philippe Boissiere dated 18 July 2016 and I quote:"
| We are grateful to you for suggesting that our group could visit your remarkable centre when we sat next to you at a graduation lunch at the end of June. You not only opened the department to us but also arranged for staff to be present, one of whom was covered from head to toe in the reflectors necessary for computer gait and motion analysis. I strongly suspect that your staff usually has better ways to spend their Saturday mornings, though there was no hint they might prefer to be anywhere other than demonstrating the amazing facility that the TORT Centre represents……..Many of my colleagues who undertook the tour were hugely impressed by your centre and the work you undertake. Thank you once again for providing an experience that greatly enhanced what was a highly successful reunion weekend… |
“It was a pleasure to have Dr Boissiere and his colleagues with us and we are more than happy to welcome other graduates for a similar tour when they decide to visit their alma mater the University of Dundee”, added Professor Abboud.
