On November 6, 2024, over 130 guests gathered at the Faculty Club to celebrate the 100th Osler Banquet. A longstanding tradition of the Osler Society, the first Banquet was held shortly after the society’s founding in 1921 to bring everyone together to commemorate McGill medicine graduate and famed Sir William Osler, who died in 1919. This landmark 100th gathering honoured Osler’s contributions to medicine, education and the integration of humanistic values into clinical practice.
The evening opened with an address from Guylaine Beaudry, Trenholme Dean of McGill libraries, highlighting the importance of Osler’s legacy in creating the Osler Library of the History of Medicine. Dean Beaudry then announced an extraordinary $2 million gift from Mario Molina and the Molina Foundation to help establish the the Molina Family Head Librarian of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine endowment, which will provide half the required funds to establish the Librarianship. Dr. Molina’s transformative gift will help ensure the Osler Library’s continued role to support medical students, and historians .
Lesley Fellows, Vice-President (Health Affairs) and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, next took the podium. She echoed Dean Beaudry’s gratitude to the Molina Foundation for its generosity and shared her thoughts on the vital role medical education plays in fostering empathy and resilience.
Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, the Honorary Osler Society President and the Honorary Osler Librarian, and his wife Pam Del Maestro reflected on the responsibility of preserving Osler’s legacy as a moral compass for the profession. On the occasion of 100th Osler Banquet, the Del Maestros generously donated a five-volume set outlining the almost 600 drawings by Leonardo da Vinci in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle to the Osler Library from their personal collection.
The Del Maestros further gifted copies of Sir William Osler’s Leonardo Da Vinci Collection: Flight, Anatomy and Art to 10 medical students selected at each table.
Later in the evening, Dr. Del Maestro made a symbolic demonstration of the Loving Cup tradition, as well as the cigar box. “The Loving Cup, which was presented to Osler, symbolizes the important linkages between all medical professions,” explains Dr. Del Maestro. “The cigar box was a gift inscribed by the officers of the No. 3 General Hospital – a field hospital donated and staffed by McGill medical faculty at Dannes-Camiers, France – when Osler visited in 1915. Some of these officers perished during the war and this cigar box symbolizes the respect all physicians have for their sacrifice.” These two historic items that have always played a big role in the Banquet and, although over time they have become more symbolic elements of the ceremony, their cultural and historical value remains invaluable.
Osler Society alumnus Dr. Christopher Feindel, who served as president of the Society as did his father, Dr. William Feindel, announced  the winners of the Pam and Rolando Family William Osler Essay Awards. This year’s winners are Jessica Matschek (first place), Elly Htite (second place) and Ana Cuerrier (third place). Congratulations to all the winners! The recording of the contest’s presentations can be viewed here. Dr. Feindel also generously provided each winner with a copy of his father’s book, The Anatomy of the Brain and Nerves Tercentenary Edition 1664-1964.
The Molina Foundation Research Awards ceremony and oral presentations took place the day before in Dr. Molina’s presence. Congratulations to the 2024 winners: Meygan Brody, Reda Hessi and Amina Moustaqim-Barrette.
At the Banquet, Dr. Molina outlined the importance of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine to the engagement of medical students with the humanities. He explained that the combination of McGill medical students interested in humanistic topics, mentors to guide them, and the remarkable resources present in the Osler Library has resulted in the perfect combination to fulfill Osler’s vision that the library should educate students in the History and Methods of Medical Science.
“ The evening ended with a sense of purpose and unity among those gathered,” said Dastjerdi. Balasubramaniam added: “This banquet was not merely a commemoration of a storied past but a bold reaffirmation of the ideals that elevate medicine as a calling rooted in both intellect and compassion.”
We welcome you to reminisce about the banquet, or admire the photos for the first time.
Acknowledgement
The Osler Student Society extends its heartfelt gratitude to RBC and Shash Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities for their generous sponsorship, which played a key role in making this event a resounding success.
