The Faculty of Medicine is one of the oldest higher education institutions that make up the Autonomous University of Yucatan (Uady), as it was created on June 10, 1833 by decree of the State Congress. In 1922, when Felipe Carrillo Puerto founded the National University of the Southeast (UNS), the School of Medicine and Surgery was integrated into this High House of Studies.
The new university airs that were experienced in Yucatan allowed Dr. Bernardino Enríquez to become the director of the Faculty of Medicine, while Dr. L. Urzaiz was appointed Secretary. The revolutionary ideas that flooded the university environment also resounded in the corridors of the old Faculty. The educational proposal of equality and social justice promoted by the socialist movement of Carrillo Puerto formed part of the modern paradigms with which the UNS was born and which were embraced by the institution.
In a Report issued by the management, published in the Bulletin, no. On March 6, 1923, Dr. Enríquez pointed out that the Faculty should be guided by “the redemptive ideas that have emerged and flourished with the founding of the National University of the Great Mexican Southeast. And we have believed in the duty to join the revolutionary and evolutionary movement that our sister faculties have initiated”. The foregoing, by virtue of the fact that from its position the institution had looked at “the selfish formation of a doctor” full of moral prejudices, and that they had rarely contributed to the aggrandizement of Yucatecan society.
The main transformation actions that were proposed were: 1) the training of professionals committed to contributing to the well-being of society, and 2) the reform of study programs in accordance with the needs of the moment and framed in revolutionary ideals. This educational proposal was in tune with what was happening in the other faculties of the University, since all of them entered into a profound process of revision, modification and updating of their study programs and changes in the academic staff.
One of the main concerns of the new directive revolved around the training of doctors who were up to the needs that existed at that time. In such a way that it was proposed to change the approach of a formation imbued in moral prejudices or religious precepts, sheltered, it was said, in a utilitarian doctrine, to one that aligned itself with the principles of the modern societies of the time. The educational perspective was “instead of the selfish ideal of having sick people to cure, it will follow the very noble and very beautiful ideal of avoiding illnesses”.
This led to the organization of popular conferences for the working class to learn regarding basic elements of hygiene and topics such as tuberculosis, alcoholism, syphilis and other venereal diseases. This in order to prevent the popular classes from continuing to suffer from this type of disease. (Will continue).