50 year reunion 1976 Medical Graduates
Enjoying the organising
On March 28th 2026, doctors who graduated in Medicine in January 1976 held a reunion dinner to celebrate their 50 years in the profession. The idea was thought up by Gill Dean and Stuart Craig, aided by Rhys and Vicki Hamilton who had previously organised reunions, and all of whom live close to Oxford. It was a great pleasure to start planning way back in November 2024- we all enjoyed our frequent meetings to discuss plans over coffee at a
local country pub. So many things to decide - dress code, location, menu etc.
Getting the word out
Of the 50 students in our clinical year, 26 came to the dinner, the result of some intensive research by the organisers and the assistance of the 1973 mugshots, previous reunion correspondence, and of course the new Alumni Engagement Executive of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Eleanore Henderson. Several of the year of 1976 have moved abroad permanently and sadly five have died, but only a handful have been impossible to contact. So we were very pleased with the attendance.
A great success
The evening started with sparkling wine in the Balliol SCR; it was a challenge at times recognising one another, and we vowed that at the next Reunion ( perhaps not in another ten years , maybe five!) we would have name badges, large enough that we could read them at a reasonably polite distance. We were a group of 40 diners, graduates and partners, and after the fizz had flowed , so did the conversation, and we moved into the SCR dining
room, for an excellent dinner with delicious wines. John Dart gave an amusing and at times moving speech, recalling our (mostly) happy days as clinical medical students , and reflecting on the changes that have taken place in 50 years, in the Medical School, not least the move to the John Radcliffe and Medical Education in general. Although there is a ‘new’ Osler House on the Headington site, it will never be quite like the Osler House we knew, with tea on the croquet lawn in summer and drinks in the the Bar year round, where students and doctors mingled in the evening . The old Radcliffe Infirmary site has now changed beyond recognition ; there are now new and exciting university buildings to be enjoyed by all . Of course the NHS has also changed as well !
Let's keep going
Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening , meeting up with such close and valued friends. I believe we were an unusually happy and cohesive group, evidenced by the fact that so many felt it worthwhile to come , and we are all looking forward to the next Reunion , our 55th Anniversary.