Prof. Dr. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo. RN, BSc, MLIS, DPM, PhD, DHL (Honoris Causa), FFPM RCPS (Glasg)

Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología.

Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Avenida Complutense s/n. 28040 Madrid. España.

El pasado día 22 de agosto de 2007 fueron investidos con el grado académico de Doctor Honoris Causa dos españoles, en reconocimiento a sus méritos científicos, profesionales y humanos: el Doctor D. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo y la Doctora Dª Marta Elena Losa Iglesias.

El Dr. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo es Profesor Titular de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, habiendo obtenido igualmente el Doctorado en Podiatria Medica por el New York College en Podiatric Medicine en el año 1995, así como el grado de Doctor por la Universidad de Alcalá en Madrid en este mismo año.

La Dra. Marta Elena Losa Iglesias, trabaja como profesora en la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid y obtuvo el grado de Doctor por la Universidad de Oviedo en abril de 2007.

Ambas personas fueron investidas con el Título de Doctor Honoris Causa otorgado por el New York College of Podiatric Medicine de manos de su Rector D. Luis L. Levine, realizándose el acto ceremonia de investidura en la Academia de Medicina de New York.

El New York College of Podiatric Medicine fue creado en 1911 y es la Institución de enseñanza superior más antigua de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica que expide el Titulo Académico de Doctor of Podiatric Medicine habiéndose graduado en este College el 25% de los Doctores en Podiatric Medicine que ejercen en Estados Unidos.

Al acto de investidura fueron invitadas personalidades y autoridades académicas de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. En representación de España acudió D. Roberto Varela, Cónsul de España para Asuntos Culturales en New York, quien en su disertación felicitó a los nuevos Doctores Honoris Causa españoles.

Igualmente fueron felicitados por D. Carlos Berzosa Alonso-Martínez, Rector de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, D. Pedro González-Trevijano, Rector de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, de Dª Virginia Novel i Marti Presidenta del Consejo General de Podólogos de España, de D. Carlos Westendrop, Embajador de España, de la Casa de Representantes del Congreso de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica, así como del Alcalde de la Ciudad de New York, D. Michael R. Bloomberg.

A estas felicitaciones se sumaron universidades, como Touro College, Senadores de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica y Asociaciones Cientificas y Profesionales de Norteamérica como la American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons y la American Podiatric Medical association, entre otras. 

Acto de investidura del grado académico de Doctor Honoris causa al Dr. D. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo (en el centro) por el Rector del New York College of Podiatric Medicine Dr. Luis L. Levine (a la izquierda) en la Academia de Medicina de New York en presencia del Presidente del Board of Trustess General William F. Ward.

Acto de investidura del grado académico de Doctor Honoris causa a la Dra. Dª. Marta Elena Losa Iglesias (en el centro) por el Rector del New York College of Podiatric Medicine Dr. Luis L. Levine (a la izquierda) en la Academia de Medicina de New York en presencia del Presidente del Board of Trustess General William F. Ward.

Dr. Luois L. Levine. Rector del New York College of Podiatric Medicine en New York presidiendo el acto de investidura del Doctor Honoris Causa en la Academia de Medicina de New York el día 22 de agosto de 2007.

El Dr. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo y la Dra. Marta Elena Losa Iglesias investidos con el grado académico de Doctor Honoris Causa por el New York College of Podiatric Medicine en la Academia de Medicina de New York el día 22 de agosto de 2007.

On-stage participants in the NYCPM International Academic Convocation (front row, left to right): Claude Dugas, Ph.D., Director, Department of Kinesiology and Podiatric Medicine, Université du Québec à Trois Rivières; Bruno Fortier, Delegate-General of Quebec in New York; Louis L. Levine, President & CEO, NYCPM; Maj. Gen. William F. Ward, A.U.S. (Ret.), Chairman, NYCPM Board of Trustees; François Allart, D.P.M., Honoree; Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo, D.P.M., Ph.D., Honoree; Marta Losa Iglesias, R.N., Ph.D., Honoree; Roberto Varela, Consul for Cultural Affairs, Office of the Spanish Consul-General in New York; (back row, left to right) Rev. Dr. Hector A. Chiesa, Chairman, FCNY Board of Trustees; Paul Tucci, M.D., NYCPM Trustee; Stanley S. Mandel, Vice-Chairman, NYCPM Board of Trustees; Rosario J. LaBarbera, D.P.M., NYCPM Trustee; Michael J. Trepal, D.P.M., Vice-President for Academic Affairs & Dean, NYCPM; Eugene H. Webb, NYCPM Trustee; Rev. Edward Culvert, D.D., Member, FCNY Board of Trustees.

THREE SPANISH AND CANADIAN DOCTORS OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATES FROM NEW YORK COLLEGE OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE AT ACADEMIC CONVOCATION AND LUNCHEON

Three Doctors are Honored for Helping Set Up and Sustain International Programs of Study in Podiatric Medicine

On Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007, the New York College of Podiatric Medicine held an Academic Convocation and Luncheon at the New York Academy of Medicine to salute international cooperation between the College and universities in Spain and Canada that have worked with NYCPM to create programs in podiatric medicine during the last two decades.  NYCPM awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, to three individuals – two from Spain and one from Canada – to acknowledge and honor their efforts leading to the creation and ongoing success of these international programs.

Receiving honorary doctorates were Dr. Marta Losa Iglesias, professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Rey Juan Carlos Public University in Madrid, and Dr. Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo, who received his D.P.M. degree from NYCPM in 1995, and is the only podologist in Spain and in Europe with the earned D.P.M. degree.  Dr. Becerro de Bengoa was instrumental in setting up the program between NYCPM and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid for the training of Spanish podologists in pathology and foot surgery at NYCPM.  Also receiving an honorary doctorate was Dr. François Allart, who received his D.P.M. degree from NYCPM in 1993, and was instrumental in founding the program in podiatric medicine at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières.  The program, which draws on a number of resources at NYCPM, is the first D.P.M. program in Canada, and the first French-speaking D.P.M. program in the world.

The Convocation began with an opening processional of the honorees and the faculty, led by Michael J. Trepal, D.P.M., Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean; Maj. Gen. William F. Ward, A.U.S. (Ret.),

      Chairman of the NYCPM Board of Trustees; the members of the Board; and the Hon. Louis

L. Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer of the College. Following an invocation delivered by Rev. Dr. Hector A. Chiesa, Chairman of the Board of Foot Clinics of New York, General Ward and President Levine offered welcoming remarks.

      Next, speaking in honor of their countrymen were Roberto Varela, Consul for Cultural Affairs, Office of the Spanish Consulate-General in New York; Bruno Fortier, Delegate-General of Quebec in New York; and Claude Dugas, Ph.D., Director, Department of Kinesiology and Podiatric Medicine at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières.  General Ward and President Levine then presented each of the three honorees with his or her honorary degree and NYCPM medal.  Each of the three doctors then spoke briefly to acknowledge the honor. 

The Convocation concluded with a benediction delivered by Foot Clinics’ Board member Rev. Edward Culvert, D.D. “Each of these three honorees has been instrumental in setting up and sustaining pioneering programs in podiatric medical education in their home countries, as well as programs for their fellow countrymen to come and study at NYCPM,” said General Ward. “Without the passion of these three individuals for podiatry, and their perseverance in seeking to create international programs of study in the field of podiatric medicine, these programs would likely never have come to fruition.”

For biographical information on the three honorees, please see the press release posted in the News section of the NYCPM website, at http://www.nycpm.edu/news.asp