>> Physician and researcher José Ignacio Ramírez Manent, recognized as Spain’s best family physician in 2024, is assuming the role of Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, which encompasses the degree programs in Medicine, Biomedicine, Biomedical and Health Engineering, Speech Therapy, Dentistry, and Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
>>The objective focuses on strengthening the connection between the university, clinical practice, and research.
>> “A good university must always place the student, the patient, and society at the center of its activity,” he stated.
The Governing Council of the University of Mallorca (UMAC-ADEMA) has appointed Dr. José Ignacio Ramírez Manent as the new Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences—a role in which he will contribute to the development of the institution’s academic and healthcare initiatives and to the training of future generations of health professionals.
The Faculty of Medical Sciences of the new university institution comprises the degree programs in Medicine, Biomedicine, Biomedical and Health Engineering, Speech Therapy, Dentistry, and Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
A physician with over 44 years of professional practice, Ramírez Manent has built a career closely linked to family medicine and primary care, combining clinical practice with responsibilities in healthcare management, team leadership, university teaching, and research.
The new dean has expressed his gratitude for the confidence placed in him by the governing bodies of the University of Mallorca—and, in particular, by the President of the Governing Council, Diego González, and the institution’s rector, Dr. Pere Riutord.
“I accept this appointment with great enthusiasm and a profound sense of the commitment and responsibility involved in being part of a university project founded with the aim of contributing to the development of higher education—and, most notably, to the training of future health sciences professionals,” he noted.
He assumes leadership of the Faculty following an extensive clinical and academic career that has provided firsthand insight into both the realities of patient care and the needs associated with training new professionals.
Since 1996, he has served as a supervisor for Family and Community Medicine residents and has maintained ongoing involvement in undergraduate and postgraduate university teaching, in addition to supervising numerous bachelor’s and master’s theses.
It is an experience that, as he explained, has reinforced his conviction that university education in the health sciences must remain closely connected to patients, professionals, and the reality of the healthcare system. “A good university must always place the student, the patient, and society at the center of its activities,” he stated.
Training linked to hospitals and health centers
Among the priorities defining this new phase, Ramírez Manent highlights the need to continue strengthening the university’s collaboration with hospitals, health centers, and professionals across various healthcare sectors.
The new dean considers this cooperation fundamental to offering students a rigorous, practical education that complements classroom learning with direct exposure to the clinical care environment.
“I would like to express my special gratitude to the hospitals and health centers—both public and private—for their essential collaboration and for the opportunity to establish partnerships that enable us to offer our students rigorous, excellent practical training that is closely linked to the reality of clinical practice,” he/she highlighted. A commitment to collaboration among the various health professions will also be a key focus of the new deanship. The goal is to foster an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare and move toward training models in which students and professionals alike can share knowledge, research, and experiences across different specialties.
Scientific, technical, and humanistic training
Ramírez Manent assumes the role of Dean with the aim of placing his experience at the service of the Faculty and working alongside the teaching, research, and administrative staff to consolidate the new university project.
Among the priorities mentioned are the promotion of research and innovation, collaboration among the various health professions, and training that combines scientific and technical preparation with the human dimension of healthcare.
“I approach this new phase with the aim of fostering research and innovation, promoting collaboration among the various health professions, and, above all, training professionals who excel from scientific, technical, and human perspectives,” he noted.
For the new dean, the development of the Faculty must rely equally on collaboration with the healthcare environment and on the ability to forge alliances with professionals, care facilities, institutions, and research groups.
“It is a true honor for me to participate in this project, assuming a responsibility that I take on with enthusiasm, commitment, and full dedication,” he stated.
Research linked to clinical practice
Scientific activity constitutes another key area of Ramírez Manent’s career. He is currently a Senior Researcher at the Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) and has participated for years in national primary care research networks, in addition to taking part in competitive projects funded by the Carlos III Health Institute, serving on thesis committees, and engaging in numerous scientific and academic activities.
His scientific output exceeds 200 publications indexed in JCR journals. Between 2020 and 2026, he/she published 57 articles in first-quartile journals, 18 in the second quartile, and 56 in the third.
In addition to this activity, the individual has supervised ten doctoral theses—all awarded *Cum Laude* honors—and received 23 research awards. Among these is the 2024 General and Family Medicine Award from the Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain.
Ramírez Manent is also a Full Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of the Balearic Islands and has served on various ethics and research committees, rounding out a professional career that has combined clinical practice, teaching, research, and management.
The new dean believes that the relationship between clinical activity and research should also be integrated into the Faculty’s academic agenda, fostering a scientific culture among future professionals and enabling research to address specific issues related to health and patient care.