José María Vargas’ status as the father of medicine in Venezuela

José María Vargas is widely considered as the father of medicine in Venezuela, and in that nation, physicians’ day is celebrated every March 10th, on occasion of his birthday. He received a medical degree and practiced medicine in Cumaná. In 1812, he was imprisoned because of his prior participation in Venezuela’s independence movement, but was released in 1813. He then travelled to Europe, where he continued his medical studies. In 1819, he settled in Puerto Rico, and carried out exploratory botanical research. This allowed him to academically collaborate with renowned scientific figures of the day, such as August Plee and Carlo Giuseppe Bertero. In 1825, Vargas returned to Venezuela, and he played an important role in setting the foundations for medical education in the emerging nation. In 1834, Vargas was elected as President of Venezuela, but had a subsequent fallout in Venezuelan politics. Today, Vargas is honored in Venezuela as an exemplary civilian (in a country long dominated by military leaders), and a physician dedicated to humanitarian causes.