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Dr. Velia Aydée Ramírez Amador is a pioneering and fundamental figure in the development of Oral Pathology and Medicine in Mexico. Forty-five years ago, she made one of the most fortunate decisions of her life: joining the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), where she founded and consolidated the Master’s Program in Oral Pathology and Medicine at a time when this field was largely neglected in the country.

From her early years as a student, Dr. Ramírez Amador recognized the deficiencies in clinical diagnosis and histopathology within oral health, which sparked her deep commitment to specialize in an area overlooked by both dentists and physicians. Faced with the lack of training options in Mexico, she earned a scholarship from the British Council to study in the United Kingdom, an experience that reaffirmed her vocation and her vision of the vital role of oral pathology in the advancement of stomatology.

Upon returning to Mexico, she joined UAM during a period of dynamic growth and academic innovation, contributing not only her master’s degree —an unusual achievement at the time— but also her energy and forward-thinking vision. In an environment lacking infrastructure but rich in enthusiasm, she became a pioneer in designing the first teaching modules, emphasizing the need to train students in clinical and pathological diagnosis, aided by support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to equip the Histopathology Laboratory.

Her work did not stop there: she led the creation of the Specialization in Integral Diagnosis and Oral Pathology, which later evolved into a Master’s Program recognized by the National Program for Quality Graduate Studies (PNPC). Thanks to her leadership, a strong academic core was formed that, in addition to teaching and research, built active ties with prestigious national institutions such as the National Cancer Institute and the Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition.

Today, Dr. Ramírez Amador focuses her research on the early detection of oral cancer, particularly studying complications derived from cancer therapies, such as oral mucositis related to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as oral lesions associated with HIV infection.

Being named an Emeritus Professor at UAM is an immense honor for her, a recognition of her lifelong dedication and passion, and a deeply emotional connection to other distinguished professors, such as Dr. Luis Felipe Bojalil. Life has granted her the privilege of leaving her enduring mark on her university’s wall of honor and in the history of stomatological education in Mexico.