One of the reasons for the existence of an institutional newsletter is to follow the important moments in the life of the institution it pertains to, the relevant occasions of all those who, on a daily basis, make up the institution. It is only natural that the most significant aspects of the life we share together are reflected on a publication of this kind, which preserves them and disseminates them to a growing community of readers.

This is the reason why the name of Professor João Carlos Gomes-Pedro stands out in this issue. It is unquestionable that the words we find in this newsletter, stated by those who worked with him closer, and by him, constitute the best testimonial of the career and contribution of one of our country’s most prominent figures in medicine, particularly in the field of paediatrics. It is not a path that comes to an end, quite the opposite. Like the Professor has pointed out in the interview he gave, an academic does not retire, for which reason his last lecture, more than a farewell, marks the beginning of a new cycle.

Accordingly, the focus of this issue is on paediatrics and its university clinic, which, similar to what we done before, we bring to our readers by publishing a vast array of information that is important for knowing our common house and heritage. We offer an overview of the evolution of this field of medicine which, in historical terms, is quite recent, the same applying to the concepts of “childhood”, “child”, “adolescence”, etc.

However, the present issue provides readers with a lot more, including an important summary of the academic and scientific activities of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon.

Editorial Team
news@fm.ul.pt