Dr Bennet Omalu receives an Honorary Doctorate from RCSI & addresses the Medical Class of 2017

At RCSI’s Class of 2017 School of Medicine Conferring Ceremony, the 8th Honorary Doctorate of the College was awarded to Dr Bennet Omalu. Dr Omalu is a forensic pathologist / neuropathologist who discovered brain disease caused by concussion. Dr Omalu’s life and research inspired the book and film ‘Concussion’ after he discovered a disease he named Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The renowned actor, Will Smith, portrayed Dr Omalu in the film. Dr Omalu discovered CTE in high impact contact sports athletes when he performed autopsies and examined the brains of American football players and World Wrestling Entertainment wrestlers. His work resulted in the understanding of traumatic brain injury and how repetitive and innocuous impacts to the head, can result in permanent brain damage and dementia. Dr Omalu then addresses the School of Medicine graduating class of 2017 as part of the ceremony.