Martin Griffiths CBE, who received an honorary degree, and Professor Debra Humphris, Vice-Chancellor. Photo by Jemma Jones.

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) held its much-anticipated summer graduation ceremony on Friday 12 July. 

The ceremony took place at the historic Brighton Dome as the medical school’s 20-year celebrations drew to a close. More than 200 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students were joined by proud family members, friends and faculty, all gathered to celebrate their significant achievements.

This year’s ceremony saw the first increased cohort of undergraduate students graduate from the school, with BSMS increasing its numbers back in 2019 as part of its Project 200 initiative, which is dedicated to widening access to medicine.

Changing of the guard

The ceremony marked the last one to be presented by Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean at BSMS, who will retire at the end of this month. He said: “Graduation is always a brilliant day and it’s wonderful to see staff and students coming together to celebrate their successes.

“Twenty years ago, we opened our doors and welcomed our inaugural cohort of students, embarking on a journey to nurture them into highly skilled and compassionate doctors. Since then, more than 2,000 graduates have passed through our doors, each now making significant contributions to the NHS as junior doctors, consultants, GPs, and leaders in research and education.”

It was also Professor Debra Humphris' last BSMS graduation as Vice-Chancellor before she too retires at the end of the summer. She said: “As always, I am in awe of the achievements of our fantastic students and delighted to be here to wish them well as they embark on their careers. It has been a privilege to play a part in so many graduations during my time as Vice-Chancellor, and while it is bittersweet to reflect that this year's ceremonies will be my last, I am honoured to be able to share in our graduates' celebrations one last time.”

‘Profoundly honoured’

The ceremony also saw Professor Rob Galloway, A&E Consultant and Honorary Professor at BSMS, give an inspiring welcome to the NHS talk for the graduating cohort. Martin Griffiths, CBE, was the recipient of an honorary degree for his services and dedication to both his patients and his community. In 2015, Martin founded the UK's first hospital-based violence reduction service at Barts Health. This groundbreaking programme, which has received widespread recognition, brings together hospital staff and charity caseworkers to support young victims of knife crime while they are still receiving treatment. 

Martin said: “I am profoundly honoured to be recognised by this wonderful institution, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this incredible distinction. I am absolutely delighted to be the last Honorary Degree Awardee nominated by Professor Reed. It is truly a privilege to be associated with an institution that has such a profound impact on the lives of so many.”

Photos from the event can be viewed here.

A full stream of the ceremony is available to watch here.

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