INTEC and Hugo Mendoza Hospital celebrate the first class of pediatricians graduating from their medical residency.
Santo Domingo. – In an act full of emotion, symbolism and commitment to medical excellence, the Doctor Hugo Mendoza Pediatric Hospital, in collaboration with the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), held the promotion and certification ceremony for the residents of the Medical Residency in Pediatrics, including First cohort of graduates as pediatricians from the 2022-2025 program.
During the event the Dr. Dhamelisse Then Vandehorst, the hospital's general manager, expressed her pride at seeing the completion of a project that took years of effort and planning. "Today is a day of celebration for the Hospital because a great dream has been fulfilled: giving birth to four pediatricians who will represent our first cohort of pediatricians at the hospital," said Vandehorst, who especially thanked INTEC for its trust in the hospital's academic vision.
In turn, the Dr. Miguel Robiou, dean of the Health Sciences Department, congratulated the new pediatricians. “Congratulations, my daughters. I feel incredibly excited, thrilled because we always strive for excellence and continued improvement, and this is one of the challenges we always face as an institution,” he said.
At the same time, he celebrated the program's impact and shared key news for its expansion. "I recently contacted a hospital in Colombia to begin rotations for our residents there. Let's see if the wheel keeps turning and we can achieve that international synergy," he said.
During the ceremony, 10 residents were promoted to the second year (R2) and six to the third year (R3), while four doctors received their official certification as specialists in pediatricsAmong them was Dr. Jersey Melo, who obtained the highest academic and annual percentage points, with 95 and 96 points respectively.
Jean Peña, Ana King, and Herkis Javier are also part of the first cohort of the pediatric residency at the Doctor Hugo Mendoza Pediatric Hospital.
Dr. Dielika Charlier, the outgoing coordinator of the residence, highlighted the program's commitment to comprehensive well-being of the resident, recognizing the role of the mental health team and support staff, and then welcoming the new graduates as colleagues and graduates of the first cohort of the Hospital's pediatric residency.
"I trust that they will be elements of harmony and peace, and that they will serve as a guide and support for their less experienced residents, a support for the pediatric staff at our hospital, and protectors of our patients and their families," she said.
During the event, awards were given special recognitions to the graduates of the first cohort for excellence in different areas, including the doctor Ana King, for her responsibility and interest in research; to Dr. Herkis Javier Bonilla, for her clinical skills and diagnostic ability, Dr. Jean Peña She was recognized for her leadership and teaching vocation.
On behalf of the graduating class, Peña delivered a moving speech. “Thank you to our leaders for their firm and caring leadership; to our teachers for teaching us with ethics and compassion. Today we bid farewell with gratitude and confidence because we know we are leaving our service in strong, dedicated hands,” he said.
The event concluded with the words of Dr. Gonzalo Gómez, the hospital's teaching manager, who shared the center's vision as a benchmark for teaching excellence. "But the true value of our hospital lies not only in the awards it has won, but in the commitment and dedication of its administrative, healthcare, and teaching staff, who make quality, purposeful education possible," he said.
He also announced that the hospital will expand its academic offerings with New residencies in pediatric intensive care and pediatric anesthesiology, starting this year.