First Cuban Woman Graduated as Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology in 1974 Dies

September 3, 2022

Rudbeckia Dulce Amada Alvarez Nuñez was born on November 23, 1939 in the city of Santa Clara. She began as a teaching assistant in Orthopedics and Traumatology in the Medicine program at the University of Havana, graduating in 1965, the first graduation of physicians of the Revolution.

She completed her postgraduate studies in the Specialty of Orthopedics and Traumatology in the city of Matanzas, at the Provincial Clinical-Surgical Hospital "José Ramón López Tabranes", from 1965 to 1971.

She completed her Residency at the Hospitals "Fructuoso Rodríguez", "Calixto García" and "Manuel Fajardo" in Havana from 1971 to 1974; becoming the first Cuban woman graduated as a First-Degree Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology in 1974.

She returned to Matanzas and joined the Pediatric Hospital of Matanzas "Eliseo Noel Camaño", where she founded the pediatric orthopedics service and served as Head of Service and professor.

She obtained the Second-Degree in Orthopedics and Traumatology in 1984 and became a Master in Sciences in Medical Emergency in 2009.

As an academic, she taught more than 50 undergraduate and graduate courses. She was an auxiliary professor (1984) and consultant (1999) of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Matanzas, where she performed outstanding and uninterrupted work in patient care and teaching, and founder of the Chair of Orthopedics and Traumatology in that province, assuming its leadership in 1974.

She was also Head of the Provincial Group of the specialty since 1979.

She was a mentor for 91 resident theses and for 72 others as an advisor, and president of state examination boards for the specialty and boards for the awarding and promotion of teaching positions.

She served as advisor to the Minister of Public Health from 2014.

She participated in all Congresses of Orthopedics and Traumatology in Cuba and presented more than 100 papers as an author at these events. She chaired conferences on pediatric conditions at different events held in our country, participating in multiple national and international courses in Cuba.

She participated in a course on Hand Disorders with Tubiana in 1988 in Paris, France.

She was an advisor to the Cuban Journal of Orthopedics and Traumatology, as well as to the Electronic Medical Journal of Matanzas and has 97 publications.

She was a member of the Cuban Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SCOT) since 1971 and was granted the status of Honorary Member of SCOT in 1989.

She is also a member of SICOT (Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique) since 1984 and of the following medical societies:

Scientific Society of Clinical Genetics
Society of Pedagogy of Cuba
Society of Pediatrics of Cuba
Society of Health Educators
Society of History of Medicine
Medical Society of Nutrition

She collaborated in the preparation of Cuba's first Manual of Orthopedics and Traumatology in 1983, and was also a contributor to the book on this specialty in 1985.

She has several recognitions to her credit:

Manuel Fajardo Distinction
Distinction for Cuban Education
Tricentennial Distinction of the City of Matanzas
Outstanding Educator of the Twentieth Century of the Association of Pedagogues of Cuba
August 23 Medal
Medal for Outstanding Preparation for Defense
Labor Achievement Medal
Annual Health Award of Matanzas Province 1999
Provincial Family Pedagogy Award in 2013
80th Anniversary Seal Lázaro Peña
Seal for grassroots leaders of the FMC for more than 10 years
Commemorative Seal 60 Years of the CTC
Commemorative Seal October 8

She died in Matanzas on August 27, 2022.