Distinguished and Beloved Professor of Merit, Surgeon Gilberto Pardo Gómez, Passes Away

January 23, 2023

On January 19th, Professor of Merit, surgeon Gilberto Gómez, passed away in Havana, a trainer of many generations of surgeons who was part of the team at the "Joaquín Albarrán" Clinical Surgical Hospital.

Son of Gilberto Pardo Machado and Catalina Gómez Torres, he was born in the city of Holguín on March 2, 1926. He completed his primary studies in his native city and his secondary and high school studies at the "La Salle" School in El Vedado, in the country's capital.

Encouraged by the example of his father, he began his medical studies in October 1944 at the University of Havana. He was an Internal Student at "Las Animas" Hospital from 1947 to 1949 and later obtained a position as an Internal Student at "General Calixto García" Hospital to complete the final two years of his degree, 6th and 7th, graduating on October 27, 1951.

As he himself confessed, he had good teachers in surgical practice and medical ethics, professors José Antonio Presno Albarrán and Roberto Guerra Valdés, who guided his steps at the beginning and through their example helped him become a surgeon and later encouraged him to become a professor.

He obtained a position as an internal physician in Surgery at "General Calixto García" Hospital itself, a position he held at the Student Clinic until 1953, when he obtained a position as a Rotating Intern for one year at "Michael Reese" Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Returning to Cuba in 1955, he obtained the position of Surgical Resident in General Surgery at "General Calixto García" Hospital and that same year married Irma Olivé Santana, with whom he has three children: Gilberto, Luis Manuel, and Irma, one granddaughter, Arianna, and one great-grandchild, Rolando.

The revolutionary triumph found him at "General Calixto García" Hospital, where he still held the position of General Surgery Resident and from where he had become involved in clandestine struggle against the Batista dictatorship.

He was then appointed surgeon at the National Revolutionary Police Hospital, a position he held until 1962, simultaneously with his work as head of surgery at the National "Enrique Cabrera" Hospital from 1960 to 1961 and surgeon at "General Calixto García" Hospital from 1961 to 1962, when he was placed at "Joaquín Albarrán" Hospital, where he remained until now.

But the brilliant surgeon did not dedicate himself to shining alone; rather, he dedicated most of his professional life to training young surgeons from different generations. His teaching work began in 1960 and he shared his knowledge and skills not only with undergraduate and graduate students of the former Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana—now University of Medical Sciences of Havana—but also with the Faculties of Medicine in Santiago de Cuba and Santa Clara, in the former province of Las Villas.

Professor Pardo Gómez is a specialist of II Degree in General Surgery and Full Professor. He was a Member of the Teaching Commission of the School of Medicine at the University of Havana from 1965 to 1969 and throughout his teaching and scientific career has assumed diverse responsibilities, among which stand out:

Member of the Committee for Convalidation of Surgical Specialties (MINSAP – 1966)
Member of the Commission that developed and improved the programs of the General Surgery Residency (1966, 1973, 1986, and 2008)
Member of the Court for ratification and/or evaluation of the categories of Auxiliary or Full Professor of personnel appointed after 1966 at the School of Medicine at the University of Havana (1976)
Member of the Advisory Commission of the Director of the School of Medicine at the University of Havana (1968 – 1976)
President of a State Court of Surgery of the Province of the City of Havana (April – October 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978)
Member of the Central Methodological Commission of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana (1977 – 1986)
Member of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees – Biomedicine Section (1975 – 2009)
Author of the Program of the Surgery Subject in the Medical Study Plan, current (1982) and new (2015)
Member of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees, which developed the program for the Specialty Candidacy Examination in Surgical Specialties (1983)
Member of the Court of the Commission of Scientific Degrees – Biomedicine Section, to analyze files of applicants for convalidation of the degrees of Candidate to Doctor and Doctor in Sciences (January 1983)
Author of the program for the Surgery section of the General Adult Internship (1983)
President of one of two Courts for II Degree Specialization in General Surgery (1983)
Member of the Permanent Court of Surgical Specialties for obtaining Scientific Degrees (1985 to date)
Member of the Commission that developed the program of the Cardiovascular Surgery Residency (1985)
President of CARE of ISCM-H to date and President of the Permanent Court of Surgical Specialties for obtaining Scientific Degrees (2006-2009).

To the above are added the activities he has carried out, given his social and political commitment, among which stand out:

Director of "General Calixto García" University Hospital (January and February 1959),
Head of the Surgical Unit (1960 – 1961) and Deputy Director of "General Calixto García" Hospital (1961 – 1962),
Head of the Department of Surgery and Services (1962 – 1976),
Deputy Director (1963 – 1965),
Director (1965 – 1967) and again Deputy Director of "Joaquín Albarrán" Hospital (1968 – 1970)
Head of the Teaching Department of Surgery of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (1969 – 1976), a responsibility he performed simultaneously with that of Deputy Teaching Director of "Joaquín Albarrán" Hospital (1970 – 1975) and Vice-Dean of Teaching of Faculty # 3 "Finlay – Albarrán" (1976 – 1988).
Principal Professor of Surgery of the former ISCM-H—now UCM-H—from 1977 to date.

Professor Pardo Gómez obtained the Scientific Degree of Doctor in Medical Sciences on February 10, 1981, achieved the category of Consulting Professor of Surgery in 1997, and achieved the category of Professor of Merit in 2002.

He has received 50 postgraduate courses and has taught 55. He has participated in 40 Courts of specialists of I Degree, 20 of II Degree, and 15 of Scientific Degrees. He has mentored 35 theses, 30 for Surgery specialists and 3 for Scientific Degrees.

He was Secretary of the National Surgery Group from 1968 to 2008, and from that date to the present he is the Head of the National Group of Surgery and, in accordance with this responsibility he holds, has assumed other responsibilities, such as:

Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 2nd National Congress on Surgical Standards (MINSAP, 1974)
President of the Commission on the research problem "Early Diagnosis of Diseases" (MINSAP – 1978)
Member of the Commission of the Vice-Ministry of Care of MINSAP to review the Hospital Regulations (1990)
Member of the Jury of the Award for the Best Scientific Work of MINSAP (May 1992)
Member of the General Surgery Court to evaluate candidates for medical collaboration in the Republic of South Africa (1995 – 1997).

He has participated in 77 national and 30 international events, has 15 research projects and 59 publications in his scientific portfolio, of which 10 are international.

Professor Pardo Gómez is an active member of various scientific societies, national and international. Among the former stand out: Full Member of the Cuban Society of Surgery, Associated Member of the Cuban Society of Gastroenterology, Associated Member of the Cuban Society of Coloproctology, Member of the Cuban Society of Infectology (since 1996), and Director of the Cuban Journal of Surgery from 1991 to date.

Among the International Societies are:

Honorary correspondent Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Granada, Spain
Full Member of the Societé Internationale de Chirurghie (since 1967 to date)
Member of the Latin American Federation of Surgeons (FELAC), since 1988 to date
Founding Member of the World Association of Surgery of the Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract (1986 – 1994)
Member of the International Committee of the International Society of Surgery (2001-2004)
Delegate of Cuba to the International Society of Surgery (1966 to 1991)
Member of the International Association of Surgeons and Gastroenterologists (since 2004).

For his valuable work, professional, teaching, scientific, and administrative trajectory, he has received numerous distinctions and decorations, among which stand out:

National: Diploma for fulfilling the mission of internationalist worker in Nicaragua during the 1972 earthquake; Distinction as an Internationalist Worker (Nicaragua, 1972 – 1977); Medal 250th Anniversary of the University of Havana (November 1979); Medal "Victory of Playa Girón" (April 1981); Medal "José Tey" (January 1983); Medal "Manuel Fajardo" (December 1983); Order "Frank País" II Degree (December 1992); Order "Carlos J. Finlay" (March 1993); Diploma of "University Dignity" (December 1994); Recognition for Teaching Merit; Honor Member of the Cuban Society of Surgery (1999); Plaque 70 Years of the Cuban Society of Surgery and Plaque of the 20th Anniversary of CIMEQ.

International: Plaque of Honorary correspondent Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Granada, Spain (2001); Decoration from the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security, first class, granted by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (November 2004), and Recognition Plaque from the Institute of Advanced Studies "Dr. Arnoldo Gabaldón" in Health of Maracay, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (September 2007).

As a man committed to his time and his Homeland, he has also been recognized with several distinctions, among which stand out: Medal of Clandestine Struggle; Distinction "September 28th" CDR; Commemorative Medals "30th, 40th, and 50th Anniversary of the FAR"; Distinction Service at MININT (10, 15, and 20 years); Commemorative Seal of the State Security Organs (20 and 30 years), and Commemorative Seal 20 Years of the National Revolutionary Police.

To conclude this biographical sketch of an exceptional man, not only for his broad knowledge and surgical skills and his teaching, but also for the values he held, which form part of his simple and modest personality, we use Professor Pardo Gómez's own reflections:

"From my years as an intern and surgical resident at "General Calixto García" University Hospital, I keep unforgettable memories of my countless shifts and surgical work that shaped me as a physician and surgeon and in all other aspects of this noble profession, and I can fully say that if I were to be born again I would become a physician and surgeon once more, because the feeling one experiences when saving or alleviating the life of a human being is an emotion that I believe no other profession possesses. In the long practice of my profession I have had good moments like those one experiences when saving a life and bad ones like when despite all our efforts a human being dies."

The National Board of Directors of the Cuban Society of Surgery, as well as the National and Provincial Groups of General Surgery, transmit their most heartfelt condolences to the family of one of the most prominent figures in Cuban surgery, Professor

He graduated as a physician on October 27, 1951. As he himself confessed, he had good teachers in surgical practice and medical ethics, professors José Antonio Presno Albarrán and Roberto Guerra Valdés, who guided his steps at the beginning and through their example helped him become a surgeon and later encouraged him to become a professor.

He obtained a position as an internal physician in Surgery at "General Calixto García" Hospital, a position he held at the Student Clinic until 1953, when he obtained a position as a Rotating Intern for one year at "Michael Reese" Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Returning to Cuba in 1955, he obtained the position of Surgical Resident in General Surgery at "General Calixto García" Hospital.

In 1959 he was appointed surgeon at the National Revolutionary Police Hospital, a position he held until 1962, simultaneously with his work as Head of Surgery at the National "Enrique Cabrera" Hospital from 1960 to 1961 and surgeon at "General Calixto García" Hospital from 1961 to 1962, when he was placed at "Joaquín Albarrán," where he remained until the end of his life.

He dedicated most of his professional life to training young surgeons from different generations. His teaching work began in 1960 and he shared his knowledge and skills not only with undergraduate and graduate students of the former Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana, now University of Medical Sciences of Havana—but also with the Faculties of Medicine in Santiago de Cuba and Santa Clara, in the former province of Las Villas.

Professor Pardo Gómez is a specialist of II Degree in General Surgery and Full Professor. He was a Member of the Teaching Commission of the School of Medicine at the University of Havana from 1965 to 1969 and throughout his teaching and scientific career has assumed diverse responsibilities, among which stand out: Member of the Committee for Convalidation of Surgical Specialties (MINSAP - 1966), Member of the Commission that developed and improved the programs of the General Surgery Residency (1966, 1973, 1986, and 2008), Member of the Court for ratification and/or evaluation of the categories of Auxiliary or Full Professor of personnel appointed after 1966 at the School of Medicine at the University of Havana (1976), Member of the Advisory Commission of the Director of the School of Medicine at the University of Havana (1968 - 1976), President of a State Court of Surgery of the Province of the City of Havana (April - October 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978), Member of the Central Methodological Commission of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana (1977 - 1986), Member of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees - Biomedicine Section (1975 - 2009), Author of the Program of the Surgery Subject in the Medical Study Plan, current (1982) and new (2015), Member of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees, which developed the program for the Specialty Candidacy Examination in Surgical Specialties (1983), Member of the Court of the Commission of Scientific Degrees – Biomedicine Section, to analyze files of applicants for convalidation of the degrees of Candidate to Doctor and Doctor in Sciences (January 1983), Author of the program for the Surgery section of the General Adult Internship (1983), President of one of two Courts for II Degree Specialization in General Surgery (1983 to date), Member of the Permanent Court of Surgical Specialties for obtaining Scientific Degrees (1985 to date), Member of the Commission that developed the program of the Cardiovascular Surgery Residency (1985), President of CARE of ISCM-H to date, and President of the Permanent Court of Surgical Specialties for obtaining Scientific Degrees (2006-2009).

Added to the above are the activities he has carried out, given his social and political commitment, among which stand out: Director of "General Calixto García" University Hospital (January and February 1959), Head of the Surgical Unit (1960 - 1961) and Deputy Director of "General Calixto García" Hospital (1961 – 1962), Head of the Department of Surgery and Services (1962 - 1976), Deputy Director (1963 - 1965), Director (1965 - 1967) and again Deputy Director of "Joaquín Albarrán" Hospital (1968 - 1970) and Head of the Teaching Department of Surgery of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (1969 - 1976), a responsibility he performed simultaneously with that of Deputy Teaching Director of "Joaquín Albarrán" Hospital (1970 - 1975) and Vice-Dean of Teaching of Faculty # 3 "Finlay - Albarrán" (1976 - 1988). He is the Principal Professor of Surgery of the former ISCM-H—now UCM-H—from 1977 to date.

Professor Pardo Gómez obtained the Scientific Degree of Doctor in Medical Sciences on February 10, 1981, achieved the category of Consulting Professor of Surgery in 1997, and achieved the category of Professor of Merit in 2002. He has received 50 postgraduate courses and has taught 55. He has participated in 40 Courts of specialists of I Degree, 20 of II Degree, and 15 of Scientific Degrees. He has mentored 35 theses, 30 for Surgery specialists and 3 for Scientific Degrees.

He was Secretary of the National Surgery Group from 1968 to 2008 and from that date to the present he is the Head of the National Group of Surgery and, in accordance with this responsibility he holds, has assumed other responsibilities, such as: Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the 2nd National Congress on Surgical Standards (MINSAP, 1974), President of the Commission on the research problem "Early Diagnosis of Diseases" (MINSAP - 1978), Member of the Commission of the Vice-Ministry of Care of MINSAP to review the Hospital Regulations (1990), Member of the Jury of the Award for the Best Scientific Work of MINSAP (May 1992), and Member of the General Surgery Court to evaluate candidates for medical collaboration in the Republic of South Africa (1995 - 1997).

Professor Pardo Gómez is an active member of various scientific societies, national and international. Among the former stand out: Full Member of the Cuban Society of Surgery, Associated Member of the Cuban Society of Gastroenterology, Associated Member of the Cuban Society of Coloproctology, Member of the Cuban Society of Infectology (since 1996), and Director of the Cuban Journal of Surgery from 1991 to date. Among the International Societies are: Honorary correspondent Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Granada, Spain, Full Member of the Societé Internationale de Chirurghie (since 1967 to date), Member of the Latin American Federation of Surgeons (FELAC), since 1988 to date, Founding Member of the World Association of Surgery of the Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract (1986 - 1994), Member of the International Committee of the International Society of Surgery (2001-2004), Delegate of Cuba to the International Society of Surgery (1966 to 1991) and from 2001 to date, and Member of the International Association of Surgeons and Gastroenterologists (since 2004).

For his valuable work, professional, teaching, scientific, and administrative trajectory, he has received numerous distinctions and decorations, among which stand out:

National: Diploma for fulfilling the mission of internationalist worker in Nicaragua during the 1972 earthquake; Distinction as an Internationalist Worker (Nicaragua, 1972 - 1977); Medal 250th Anniversary of the University of Havana (November 1979); Medal "Victory of Playa Girón" (April 1981); Medal "José Tey" (January 1983); Medal "Manuel Fajardo" (December 1983); Order "Frank País" II Degree (December 1992); Order "Carlos J. Finlay" (March 1993); Diploma of "University Dignity" (December 1994); Recognition for Teaching Merit; Honor Member of the Cuban Society of Surgery (1999); Plaque 70 Years of the Cuban Society of Surgery and Plaque of the 20th Anniversary of CIMEQ.

International: Plaque of Honorary correspondent Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Granada, Spain (2001); Decoration from the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security, first class, granted by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (November 2004), and Recognition Plaque from the Institute of Advanced Studies "Dr. Arnoldo Gabaldón" in Health of Maracay, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (September 2007).