23 June 2026
Bilbao
The University of Deusto is celebrating this June the graduation of the first cohort of Medicine graduates. The group, comprising 76 students, began their studies in September 2020. These studies have been characterised by active learning methodologies, state-of-the-art facilities, placements throughout the degree, and an approach centred on care and patient attention. The introduction of this programme marked the beginning of “a new era” for the institution, with a strategic and decisive commitment to the field of Health Sciences.
Unlike traditional models, Medicine students at Deusto have been trained using Problem-Based Learning (PBL). This methodology has enabled students to build their knowledge by solving real-life problems in small groups of 10–12 people, fostering critical analysis, ethical reflection, teamwork and communication skills from day one. Furthermore, their training has benefited from state-of-the-art facilities within the DeustoBio building, which includes a virtual hospital and laboratories such as the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory, designed for practical learning and clinical simulation.
Thanks to these cutting-edge facilities and partnerships with hospitals, such as the IMQ Zorrotzaurre, health centres and research centres, such as the CIC BioGUNE and CIC BiomaGUNE, Deusto’s future doctors have undertaken clinical and research placements throughout their degree programme. Specifically, in years 1 and 2, students carried out preclinical and laboratory placements, as well as clinical placements in emergency departments. In years 3, 4 and 5, they completed curricular clinical placements across the entire Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.
Throughout the different years, each student shadowed medical professionals in their daily clinical practice, rotating through different clinical specialties. Finally, in year 6, students have completed their Final Year Project, developed in different areas of Medicine and with a research focus covering basic, clinical and translational research.
Health without borders
As a complement, the cohort has had the opportunity to undertake clinical placements in non-EU countries, with a particular focus on Latin America, which gives the group a strong international profile. Through this experience, the University of Deusto seeks to ensure that Medicine students develop a broader perspective on their work and acquire key competences for their future professional practice, such as teamwork, solidarity and responsiveness to diversity.
These experiences have enabled students to understand that healthcare has no borders and that the practice of Medicine requires being prepared to work in global environments with diverse healthcare systems and realities. At the same time, they have reinforced the importance of also engaging with the immediate local context, with students able to complete part of their studies in Basque in order to respond more effectively to the linguistic needs of patients at local and regional level.
Faculty of Health Sciences
This cohort marks a historic milestone and consolidates the University of Deusto’s commitment to the field of health, embodied in the creation of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Under a humanistic leadership model, the Faculty brings together the degree programmes in Medicine, Nursing and Physiotherapy, as well as Psychology, which has a long-standing tradition and strong reputation at Deusto. With more than 2,400 undergraduate students and outstanding research teams whose work has a social impact, the University is strengthening its position as a leading institution for the education of skilled and committed professionals who place people at the centre of care, guided by an approach that focuses on “caring for the person, not just treating the illness”.
