2014_05_30_joseignaciobilbao_medallaoro

The Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM) has awarded the Gold Medal to José Ignacio Bilbao, specialist of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and professor of the School of Medicine. This award is awarded every two years, during the congresses of the Society, which this year celebrated its 32nd edition in Oviedo.

SERAM recognizes Bilbao "for putting the name of Spanish radiology very high" and honoring the institution"with his work, wisdom and experience".

Dr. Bilbao also received last year the gold medal of the European Society of Interventional Radiology (CIRSE).

 "It is a great honor, both for me and for the Clinic's Radiology Service, because if someone gets a medal it is because they have had the support of the people who work alongside them, because they have allowed them to be able to think and work. And thanks to my family because I have spent many hours away from home," acknowledges Bilbao.

The physician attributes the awarding of the medal to his work in numerous entities and aspects of the specialization program of Radiology, such as the foundation, consolidation or presidency of various societies, including the Spanish Society of Interventional Radiology, the European Society of Interventionalism or the European Society of Radiology. "The role I have tried to play in all of them has been in favor of joining efforts, people and societies, avoiding fractures and differences between subspecialties, reinforcing the concept of Radiology as a great specialization program devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of patients and making borders in this discipline do not exist".

Dr. Bilbao participated very actively in the development of the European program of training for residents and in the harmonization of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), as well as in the development of the techniques of self-assessment, which were the basis of the Diploma European Radiology. He has also contributed to the organization of several congresses -both national and European-, in which he has been a member of the organizing committees, some of them as vice-president and president.

The medical entity has also awarded the Valencian physician Luis Martí-Bonmatí, head of the Radiology Department of the Hospital La Fe in Valencia and president of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology and the Asturian specialist Isabel González Álvarez, head of the Radiology Department of the Hospital San Juan in Alicante . The Gold Medal is the highest distinction awarded by this Society by unanimous decision of its Board of Directors board .

Main aspects of Dr. Bilbao's degree program

Dr. Bilbao studied Radiology at specialization program at Clínica Universidad de Navarra. Since then he has worked in the Radiology Service, where he was its chief between 1998 and 2004, and in the School of Medicine of the same university, where he is Senior Associate Professor.

Since 1982 he has been dedicated exclusively to patient care, practicing Interventional Radiology specialization program , area of which he is the manager at Clínica Universidad de Navarra. In this service he has been the main promoter of the introduction of the latest techniques.

He is partner founder (1986) and former president of the Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI), section of the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM).

He was a member of the board Board of Directors of SERAM as a delegate of International Office and since 2000 he is one of its representatives in the National Commission of the specialization program.

Dr. Bilbao has received several international awards for his scientific activity. In addition, he holds several positions in the European Society of Interventional Radiology (CIRSE) of which he was president (2004) and vice-president (2010) of the committee organizer of its international congress . Finally, he has been the vice president (2012) and president (2013) of the European congress of Radiology organized by the European Society of Radiology (ESR), of which he has been part of its board board of directors in different positions between 2002 and 2013.