Medical grads celebrate 50th anniversary reunion

Good memories: The medical class of 1957 held their reunion at UCT over the past weekend.

To the returning class of 1957, the UCT Medical School must have seemed an unfamiliar sight when they gathered for their reunion over the weekend of 7 to 9 December.

Sure, some of their old haunts are still there. But a handful of new buildings have sprung up over the past half century. Like the Wolfson Pavilion, home to the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine. Off the main campus, training venue Groote Schuur Hospital has also enjoyed a makeover.

These sights possibly make for some melancholy.

But there's also the opportunity to meet up again with some old buddies. Which is why, says Joan Tuff of the Faculty of Health Sciences, alumni cross oceans and continents to attend the faculty's annual series of graduations.

Over the past three weekends, the classes of 1992, 1967 and 1957 have all hosted their reunions. The final group, the graduates of 1982, meet over this coming weekend, 14 to 16 December.