On September 22, at the Podkarpacka Philharmonic, the fourth Diploma Ceremony for the Faculty of Medicine in the history of the University of Rzeszów took place. During the event, diplomas were awarded to 133 graduates from the Faculty of Medicine and 18 graduates from the English Division.

At the ceremony, the graduates were accompanied by university officials, academic staff, representatives of the legislative authority, city officials, and local government leaders. The ceremony held special significance for the young doctors, marking the culmination of their 6-year medical education.

Professor Adam Reich, Rector of the University of Rzeszów, addressed the graduates, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with the medical profession. In his speech, he congratulated the graduates and wished them professionalism in fulfilling their medical mission.

Professor Artur Mazur, MD, Vice-Rector for the College of Medical Sciences, highlighted that this year's graduates faced many challenges during their academic journey, such as the pandemic, remote learning, and the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The Diploma Ceremony was also an opportunity to award distinctions to students who achieved the highest academic results and were actively involved in academic life. Among the honoured students were: Dr Martyna Bukała, Dr Aleksandra Tomkiewicz, Dr Urszula Zelik, Dr Aldona Sokołowska, Dr Aleksandra Burbelka, Dr Katarzyna Koziorowska (English Division), Dr Konrad Wróbel, Dr Mateusz Iwański, Dr Aleksandra Skubisz, and Dr Maksymilian Kłosowicz.

During the ceremony, all the young medical graduates took the Physician’s Oath, thereby committing themselves to "serving human life and health."

This was a historic diploma ceremony, as this year marked the graduation of the first cohort of students from the English Division at the University of Rzeszów.

Since the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine in 2016, the University of Rzeszów has educated 516 doctors.

The commencement lecture was delivered by Professor Ryszard Gellert, MD.

Prof. Gellert is a specialist in nephrology, internal medicine, family medicine, and intensive care. He serves as the National Consultant in the field of nephrology, Head of the Department of Nephrology, Internal Medicine, and Family Medicine at the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education (CMKP), and as the Director for Medical Services at Bielański Hospital in Warsaw. Additionally, he is the Representative of the Director of CMKP for Quality Education, a member of the Polish Society of Internal Medicine and the Polish Society of Interdisciplinary Intensive Care, and a member of the European, American, and International Societies of Nephrology. He is also the President of the Federation of Polish Medical Societies.

Photo by Michał Święcicki