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Lancaster medical student wins Royal Society of Medicine prize

Alexandrina Braniste

A medical student from Lancaster University has won a major accolade from the Royal Society of Medicine.

Alexandrina Braniste won the Royal Society of Medicine’s 2023 Norah Schuster prize for the history of medicine.

Alexandrina presented her work at a special event at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) in London hosted by the RSM’s History of Medicine Society, which awards the prize every year for the best essay on the history of medicine or medical science. 

The final year student at Lancaster Medical School hopes to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery either in the UK or back home in Portugal.

She said: “It was an honour to win this prize and be acknowledged for my work. I'm happy I got to share my fascination of this surgical invention with like-minded individuals, and hope to have sparked curiosity about the history of medicine in fellow medical students.

“Lancaster is my second home and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here.  The welcoming Lancaster community is what I'll remember most. I look forward to starting my journey as a doctor when I graduate in the summer.”

Professor Marina Anderson, head of Lancaster Medical School, said: “We are delighted that Alexandrina’s dedication and talent has been recognised in the award of the prestigious Royal Society of Medicine's 2023 Norah Schuster prize for the history of medicine. Alexandrina is the embodiment of the bright future of medicine, and we are extremely proud of her achievements.”

The Royal Society of Medicine awards dozens of prizes every year to recognise and reward the best ideas and innovative thinking across healthcare, medicine and science.  

Alexandrina presented her paper on Fogarty's embolectomy catheter and its impact in vascular surgery.

Dr Thomas J Fogarty is an American cardiovascular surgeon who in the 1960s invented a device to help remove clots from blood vessels, which is still used ttoday, across a variety of operations. 

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