Emídio José Ribeiro: Vida e Obra do Homem, Médico e Professor Geresiano

Abstract

Emídio José Ribeiro (1910 - 1984) was an Internal Medicine physician, Director of the Medical Propaedeutics Service at Hospital de São João and Chair Professor at Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto. Born in Gerês, he would, from a young age, follow a remarkable academic path, which ultimately led him to Medicine, teaching, research and leadership - despite this, throughout his career he remained deeply rooted in his origins, always mindful of the humanistic principles necessary to medical practice. Professor Emídio Ribeiro, maintaining the global vision of the patient characteristic of Internal Medicine, was responsible for creating new generations of doctors, who would, through his influence, develop Services of other specialties that did not exist yet at the time. These Services, similar to that of Medical Propaedeutics directed by Professor Emídio Ribeiro, would themselves become references in Portugal. He also instilled a liking for the study of Immunology in his disciples - an area, at the time, still little developed or known by the medical community in general. His inclination for this topic can be seen, not only due to the nature of the articles he developed and published, but also due to the setting up of a new Immunology laboratory in the Service. The Professor's legacy includes the clinical skills and encouragement for research that he instilled in his disciples, always combined with the human aspect - never forgotten and even honored by the very population he served. With this dissertation, the aim is to record the life and work of Professor Emídio Ribeiro, in his professional, personal and human aspects, serving, simultaneously, as a heartfelt homage to him. As the bicentenary of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (founded in 1825) approaches, it is worth highlighting the importance of the historical record of the personalities who contributed to the formation and evolution of this prestigious School, as well as their respective roles in Portuguese Medicine.