I met young Frank Miguel Hernández Velázquez when he was in the early years of his Medicine degree at the University of Medical Sciences of Holguín (UCMHo). From that moment, he stood out for his intelligence, responsibility, passion for scientific activities, and, ultimately, for his love of the sacred profession of saving lives. After six years of study, this young man became the Best Graduate and the Overall Vanguard of the 48th graduating class of this institution.
Frank Miguel was one of 646 new professionals—including doctors, dentists, nurses, and health technologists—who completed this stage and will soon join the National Health System.
The graduation ceremony for the 2024-2025 academic year was held at the Bariay Club in the provincial capital city, marking a historic total of more than 38,460 national and international professionals graduated from the academic institution.
Hernández’s record speaks for itself: a perfect five-point academic index, 26 award-winning exams, participation in over 130 scientific events with national-level results, and authoring 90 scientific publications in high-impact Cuban Medical Journals and Student Scientific Journals. He also achieved notable results in Teaching Media Festivals, Knowledge Meetings, Class Festivals, was a Student Assistant in Internal Medicine, and recognized as the most comprehensive Vanguard of the FEU nationwide in two categories.
Then, on this day filled with so many emotions for having given his best, words were spoken on his own behalf and on behalf of his classmates: “Being recognized as the best graduate is undoubtedly an honor and a source of pride. I have the privilege of speaking on behalf of the more than 600 health professionals who graduated with hearts full of emotion and gratitude. Today, we are not only celebrating an academic achievement but also a shared story woven with effort, dreams, and learning.”
“Being part of this generation of doctors, marked by so many important events, is a tremendous treasure that I will carry with me always. We were exposed to radical changes: a new curriculum, a pandemic that took so many lives, we overcame adverse circumstances, and we fought for a dream that once seemed so distant and unattainable but that we now realize.”
At the event, authorities from the Communist Party of Cuba and the local government were also present, along with hospital directors, representatives of political and mass organizations, family members, and guests. The most outstanding graduates from the different specialties were recognized, along with the recipients of the Gold Titles, 87 members of the “Mario Muñoz Monroy” vanguard movement, and 32 Scientific Merit Awards.
Indeed, during their university life, they experience situations that prepare them better to face life and to serve others, with the purpose of saving lives and preserving health wherever they are called to provide their services. The graduates complete years of hard work and dedication, having learned that the most important thing is the life of each patient. New and complex tasks lie ahead, but they will surely face them responsibly.
Congratulations to the faculty for their dedication and professionalism in training new generations. The current graduating class represents a tribute to the centenary of the birth of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, and to the anniversaries of the founding of the University Student Federation, the Vladimir Ilich Lenin Provincial University Hospital, and the Mario Muñoz Monroy Vanguard Movement.
