On October 23, in the Janusz Piekarczyk auditorium, almost 400 graduates of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry listened to congratulations, wishes and good advice for the future, as well as received their coveted diplomas. The ceremony was hosted by the head of the faculty Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek, Vice Dean for the fields of medicine and dentistry, dental hygiene and dental technology.
Without fear and with courage
- You have completed your studies in various fields, it required determination, diligence and self-discipline - stressed Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek, adding: - Although you have often encountered difficult moments and stressful moments, today you are receiving your diplomas from the Medical University of Warsaw. These diplomas open up a number of opportunities for you, allowing you to enter the labor market without fear, with a sense of having the right knowledge, skills and competence.
However, Professor Mielczarek asked the graduates to remember that knowledge and the ability to perform certain procedures are not enough. Equally important are empathy, creativity, the ability to work together and to think critically.
- Be passionate and principled in your work. Be courageous in pursuing your dreams. Also, don't be afraid of failures, because they - embedded in our professional lives - pave the way to success - the Vice Dean said.
Patient always in the center
- I believe that the academic teachers you have met on your path have done their best to prepare you for your professions - said Prof. Rafal Krenke, Rector of MUW - But above all, recognition and great thanks go to you, because it is due to your willingness to develop yourself, your own abilities, persistence, diligence and sometimes even tenacity that we are here today for the symbolic completion of your education.
As the Rector emphasized, learning does not end when you get your diploma, and working in health care involves continuing education.
- This will require meeting medical needs and - should it be your primary motivation - providing the best possible optimal care to the patients you will be caring for. This is required by common human decency, especially the professional decency associated with the medical profession - Prof. Krenke said.
The Rector, like Vice Dean Agnieszka Mielczarek, also argued that in the medical profession, knowledge and skills are not everything. What also counts is the ability to listen, be compassionate, and the ability to build a relationship with the patient.
Prof. Rafal Krenke: - When faced with suffering, fear, uncertainty, the patient will seek help from you as well as such common human kindness and comfort. And that is what we owe to provide.
Congratulations and good advice from invited guests
Anna Brzezińska, member of the Board of Directors of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, wished the graduates continued development: professional, scientific and personal.
- The world is developing, and we are developing with it - said Anna Brzezińska - Remember not to lose yourself and this human approach to the patient in this rush of work.
Also speaking was Professor Uri Hangorsky, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Penn Dental Medicine, (University of Pennsylvania), a collaborating university with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.
- I'm not particularly familiar with the Polish education system, but I imagine that the last five years of your life have not been easy - Professor Hangorsky stressed - I assume that, like our American students, you probably studied long hours, worried about whether you had enough patience to meet clinical requirements, faced countless tests and exams, and occasionally thought about those bad teachers who criticized your work, despite your conviction that the criticism was not due.
However, he pointed out that the professions performed by the graduates, like few others, combine art and science, enable them to achieve fulfillment, and moreover, have a lasting positive impact on patients.
Words of encouragement and congratulations to the heroes of the ceremony were also conveyed by: Dr. Dariusz Paluszek, vice president of the District Medical Chamber, Marek Mucha, coordinator of the National Chamber of Physiotherapists of the Masovian Voivodeship, Janusz Szulik, president of TU INTER Polska, Grzegorz Kalbarczyk, president of Arkona, and Michał Pudlis of Stern Weber Polska.
St. Apollonia statuette for MUW professor
During the ceremony, Prof. Kazimierz Szopiński, Head of the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology, received the St. Apollonia Statuette - the patron saint of dentists - from the District Medical Chamber. The statuette honors individuals who support the dental community in a special way.
- He is not only an outstanding specialist, but also an incredible mentor for many of us - said Dr. Dariusz Paluszek, presenting the award to Professor Szopiński. And he added: - The statuette is a humble acknowledgement for his effort, passion and constant pursuit of excellence in dentistry.
The laureate, thanking for the award, congratulated the heroes of the ceremony and offered good advice though spoken somewhat humorously.
- Often you will be faced with such a problem that you will not know what course of action to take with the patient, and then there is a very simple intellectual experience: imagine that it is your brother, mother, child, then there is a dramatic surge of intelligence when it comes to choosing a treatment method.
Graduates’ pledge
The oath from the graduates of dental medicine in Polish was taken by Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek, from the students of dental medicine taught in English: Prof. Ewa Czochrowska, Vice Dean for International Cooperation and dental medicine in English and general and clinical speech therapy fields of study. And from master's and bachelor's degrees in audio-phonology with hearing prosthetics, electroradiology, physiotherapy, dental hygiene, general and clinical speech therapy, dental technology - Joanna Peradzyńska, MD, PhD, Vice Dean of the faculty for physiotherapy, audio-phonology with hearing prosthetics and electroradiology fields of study.
What did the graduates vow? Common to all fields of study were the words on serving human life and health according to the best knowledge, helping the suffering and preventing suffering, helping everyone regardless of differences, and improving knowledge. Then the heroes of the ceremony received their diplomas.
Awards for outstanding graduates
- The Golden Laurel for the highest average obtained in the course of study was awarded to: Luiza Szaruta, Edyta Rzepka, Michalina Borys, Natalia Kamzelska, Katarzyna Łyczkowska, Anna Dorociak, Julia Sobolewska.
- The diplomas with distinction were awarded to: Katarzyna Antosiewicz, Wiktoria Owczarzak, Maria Domalewska, Olda Dudek, Wiktoria Baczewska, Luiza Szaruta, Aleksandra Czyż, Natalia Kamzelska, Beata Izdebska, Katarzyna Łyczkowska, Anna Dorociak, Uruszla Radziszewska, Lena Lechoszest, Małgorzata Sroka, Weronika Zoła, Sandra Sieradzka, Dorota Skaskiewicz, Izabela Szymańska, Wiktoria Pniewska, Julia Sobolewska.
- An honorable mention for scientific activity during the studies was given to Parham Motamedi.
- The District Medical Chamber honored the graduates who received the highest average during their studies in each field of study. They were: Katarzyna Antosiewicz, Natalia Kamzelska, Katarzyna Łyczkowska, Ilona Snawacka, Anna Dorociak, Katarzyna Ambroziak, Julia Sobolewska, Parham Motamedi.
- The District Medical Chamber sponsored one more prize for the first place in the Human Sciences in Medicine session for the presentation “Parents' Awareness and Attitude Regarding Violence and Neglect of Children and Youth: A Survey Study,” which went to Natalia Wild.
- The awards were also given by sponsors:
- The award from TU-Inter for very good academic performance went to Julia Sobolewska.
- ARKONA award went to Emilia Nowacka and Małgorzata Nowagiel for the participation in the Final of the 15th edition of the Competition for the Best Dental Student 2022/2023 organized by ARKONA.
- Stern Weber Poland S.A. funded the award for scientific activity, which went to Julia Grygołowicz. - The Student Government of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry recognized those most involved in student activities. These were: Dominika Domanowska, Aleksandra Orlańska, Julia Wiśniewska and Tomasz Michalczyk.
- The Choir of the Medical University of Warsaw honored Marta Żak.
Support and teamwork
Finally, Dominika Domanowska, a dental medicine graduate and long-time president of the Student Government of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, spoke. She recalled her first year of study and the adaptation day, during which she received one of life's most important pieces of advice: “You have to study together and you have to help each other, because this is one of the bases for success on this very demanding path.”
- I think the same applies to our future work, our future profession. What unites all graduates of all fields present in this room is patient care. Care that, in my opinion, will be complete only if we form one big close-knit team, the foundation of which is cooperation and assistance - Dominika Domanowska stressed.
The ceremony ended with a mini-concert by the MUW Choir. Afterwards, a commemorative photo was taken and the graduates tossed their hats.
In addition to those mentioned above, the diploma awarding ceremony was also attended by: Prof. Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska, Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs and Investments, Prof. Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk, Vice Rector for Human Resources, Prof. Marek Kuch, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Marcin Sobczak, Vice Rector for Science and Technology Transfer, and Prof. Olga Ciepiela, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Tadeusz Grochowiecki, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Mariusz Gujski, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaroslaw Prugar, Vice Chancellor for Operations, Wojciech Bogusz, Vice Chancellor for Investments, Prof. Renata Górska, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry from 2005 to 2012, Prof. Elżbieta Mierzwińska-Nastalska, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry from 2012 to 2020, Prof. Dariusz Białoszewski, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 2019 to 2022, Justyna Mieszalska, president of the MUW Medical Center, Grażyna Brzuszkiewicz-Kuźmicka, MD, PhD, provincial consultant in the field of physiotherapy, members of the Council of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, chairpersons of pedagogical councils and program councils, subject coordinators, heads of units and teachers who educate our graduates, representatives of the council of employers and external stakeholders of the faculty. And also families and friends of the graduates.
