The graduates were the heroes of the ceremony, and both ceremonies were conducted by Prof. Mariusz Gujski, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
From the university's side, Prof. Robert Gałązkowski, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education - in place of HM Rector of MUW - was present, along with the representatives of the Rector's and Dean's authorities and other representatives of the academic community.
The graduates, on the other hand, invited their families and friends to the ceremony. There were also guests from the UCC MUW, from friendly hospitals and representatives of important public institutions. The large auditorium of the Didactic Center MUW barely accommodated all those who came.
This is not a profession - but a mission
Speaking on behalf of the Rector, Professor Gałązkowski, in his remarks, warmly congratulated the graduates, but also thanked the dean's authorities and the teaching staff for "creating a vocation to help others." He also emphasized what is the essence of the medical profession:
- I ask all of you from the bottom of my heart for one thing, remember that the patient requires respect, commitment, patience. When you chose the medical profession, you must have been aware that this is a path full of sacrifices, but a beautiful path. Because what you do for the patient saves his health and life.
During the "capping" ceremony, Vice Rector Robert Gałązkowski addressed the nurses and midwives:
-You are completing a certain stage of learning in life. You have been equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills that will serve you in the most beautiful mission. This is the mission of saving human life, welcoming new life into the world, but also accompanying the patient in the face of death. Be a good person for whom the life and health of another human being is the highest value. Do not underestimate another human being. Saving life and health is the most beautiful mission a person can carry out!
Dr. Barbara Mazurkiewicz, Vice-Chair of the Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, participated in both graduation and "capping" ceremonies.
- No matter what degree you have completed, provide care with heart and from the heart, because that is what patients expect from us. They remember our faces, our words and whether someone gave them a helping hand.
Ceremonial pledging and presentation of diplomas
The key moment of both ceremonies - both the graduation and the "capping" - was the taking of the oaths.
During the graduation, graduates of second-cycle studies in nursing and midwifery, first-cycle in emergency medicine, and first and second-cycle in dietetics and public health vowed: to serve human life and health, to help patients regardless of their race, religion, political views, financial status, to show them respect and not abuse their trust, to maintain professional secrecy, to uphold the dignity of the profession, and to relate to colleagues on the medical team with kindness and impartiality, to follow the achievements of medicine and improve their knowledge.
Once the solemn words of the oath rang out, the graduates received their long-awaited diplomas. They were presented by the Dean Prof. Mariusz Gujski and Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education Prof. Robert Gałązkowski.
However, during the "capping" ceremony, students who graduated from the first-cycle in nursing and midwifery took solemn vows derived from the Code of Ethics for Professional Nurses of the Republic of Poland and the Code of Ethics for Professional Midwives of the Republic of Poland. They vowed to: exercise professional and utmost care for human health and life, promote health, prevent disease, nurture the sick, bring help to every human being, show due respect and empathy to patients, uphold the dignity of the nursing/midwifery profession, implement new advances in medical science into practice, and perform their duties diligently.
After the oath, the nursing graduates received caps with a black stripe, which were pinned by the representatives of their profession. They also received their graduation diplomas, which were presented to them by Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education Prof. Robert Gałązkowski and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Mariusz Gujski. The whole ceremony was repeated with the participation of midwifery graduates, with the difference that midwives first received caps with a red stripe and diplomas, and then took the solemn oath.
Awarded for the highest average and for involvement in student activities
During both ceremonies, the graduates with the best academic results obtained during the educational cycle and those who were most involved in student activities were awarded. These awards were granted by the faculty authorities. In addition, prizes for graduates with the highest average were also funded by the Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives and the INTER Polska Insurance Company.
- Awarded and honored first-cycle graduates in nursing
Katarzyna Radwan award for the highest average - 4.86 - in the course of first-cycle program in the field of nursing, obtained in the education cycle 2021-2024
Gabriel Pesta honorable mention for activities on behalf of the Student Government
Agnieszka Sobolewska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the third year of the first-cycle study in nursing - Awarded and honored second-cycle graduates in stationary nursing
Michalina Maria Walo award for the highest average - 4.97 – in the course of second-cycle program in the field of nursing obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Radoslaw Deczkowski awarded for active student and organizational activities as the head of the second year of the second-cycle in nursing
Magdalena Szymanska honorable mention for winning the Euroskills national qualifiers and participating in international competitions - Awarded and honored first-cycle graduates in midwifery
Aleksandra Celuch award for the highest average - 4.84 - of the course of first-cycle program in the field of midwifery, obtained in the education cycle 2021-2024
Magdalena Halska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the third year of first-cycle study in midwifery - Awarded and honored graduates of full-time and part-time second-cycle in midwifery
Mateusz Owczarczyk award for the highest average - 5.0 - in the course of full-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024.
Marta Tarkowska award for the highest average - 5.0 - in the course of full-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Zuzanna Gąsiorowska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of full-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery
Kinga Łapińska award for the highest average - 4.8- in the course of part-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Oliwia Senda honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of the part-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery - Awarded and honored of first- and second-cycle graduates in dietetics (full-time and part-time studies)
Krzysztof Świąder award for the highest average - 4.66 - in the course of first-cycle program in the field of dietetics, obtained in the education cycle 2021-2024
Natalia Sapinska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities in the first-cycle program in the field of dietetics
Anna Szmulkowska award for the highest average - 4.77 - in the course of full-time second-cycle program in the field of dietetics, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Karolina Tenderenda honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of the full-time second-cycle program in the field of dietetics
Zuzanna Milczarczyk award for the highest average - 4.81 - in the course of part-time second-cycle program in the field of dietetics, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Klaudia Wroniewska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of the part-time second-cycle program in the field of dietetics - Awarded and recognized graduates of emergency medicine
Zofia Ber award for the highest average - 4.68 - in the course of first-cycle program in the field of emergency medicine, obtained in the education cycle 2021-2024
Laura Wieczorek honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the third year of the full-time first-cycle program in the field of emergency medicine - Awarded and honored first- and second-cycle graduates in public health (full-time and part-time studies)
Julia Siebielec award for the highest average - 4.78 - in the course of the first-cycle program in the field of public health, obtained in the education cycle 2021-2024
Agata Piotrowska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the third year of the first-cycle program in the field of public health
Magdalena Wacko award for the highest average - 4.94 - in the course of full-time second-cycle program in the field of public health, obtained in the education cycle 2022-2024
Gabriela Misiurek honorable mention for her active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of the full-time second-cycle program in the field of public health
Kamila Oniśk award for the highest average - 4.97- in the course of part-time second-cycle program in the field of public health, obtained in the educational cycle 2022-2024
Weronika Połomska honorable mention for active student and organizational activities as the student representative of the second year of the part-time second-cycle program in the field of public health
“Let's cooperate not compete”
At the end of both ceremonies, the graduates took the floor. During the diploma awarding ceremony, Aleksandra Dyszewska, student representative of the third year of the full-time first-cycle program in the field of dietetics, and Zuzanna Gąsiorowska, student representative of the second year of the full-time second-cycle program in the field of midwifery, spoke on behalf of all the graduates. Both primarily thanked their teachers and mentors. But also their fellow students for the support and friendships made at MUW. There were also personal and very emotional themes. Zuzanna Gąsiorowska said:
- 723 days ago, it was in this auditorium that the midwife cap was placed on my head. After three difficult years, my biggest dream came true and I became a midwife and was even on TV for 15 seconds. Although after the hardship of writing my bachelor's thesis and the immense stress of the graduation exam - I swore to myself that I would never study again, 60 days later I started my master's degree in midwifery. It's been 663 days, and I'm standing here in front of you, and I can't imagine doing otherwise (...). Conquering peaks is associated with hard work, but the higher you go, the more beautiful the views. Since I was a kid, I've been dreaming of a moment like this. I'm graduating, I'm wearing a toga, a biretta, I'm picking up my diploma and I'm saying, Class of 2022-2024 - WE DID IT!”
Equally personal and reflective speeches could be listened to at the end of the “capping” ceremony. Speaking on behalf of the graduates were Agnieszka Sobolewska, student representative of the third year of nursing, and Aleksandra Celuch - student representative of the third year of midwifery. Here, too, there was no shortage of thanks and expressions of gratitude addressed to the university authorities, the teaching staff, as well as to the loved ones who supported most strongly.
Agnieszka Sobolewska addressed her fellow midwives:
- Dear midwives, I am proud to have had the opportunity to get to know you and, in my apprenticeship, to observe what your work is like. Every day, we nurses also put in your hands the health of ourselves and the women who are important to us (mothers, daughters, friends). You are the ones we trust the most when we are vulnerable during childbirth, and from your hands we receive our little-great treasure to cuddle. As we stand here today, I ask from the bottom of my heart: let's cooperate - not compete.
Agnieszka Sobolewska addressed the same request “Let's cooperate - not compete” to her fellow nurses:
- Let's be a standard whose work will not be overshadowed by conflicts, difficulties or pay scales - the young nurse concluded.
Summary, that is the graduates in numbers
In the 2023/2024 academic year, the diploma was received by:
- 351 people in the field of nursing (first- and second-cycle studies)
- 173 people in the field of midwifery (first- and second-cycle studies)
- 30 people in the field of emergency medicine (first-cycle studies)
- 86 people in the field of dietetics (first- and second-cycle studies)
- 139 people in the field of public health (first- and second-cycle studies)
It is worth recalling that the Faculty of Health Sciences currently educates about 3,000 students in five fields of study: nursing, midwifery, dietetics, paramedicine and public health. Completing them guarantees an excellent education and professional qualifications sought by employers in public and private institutions.
The graduation ceremony of the graduates of the Faculty of Health Sciences was attended by:
- Representatives of our university:
Prof. Mariusz Gujski, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Prof. Robert Gałązkowski, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education - representing HM Rector of MUW; Prof. Wojciech Lisik, Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs and Investments; Prof. Bolesław Samolinski, Chairman of the Health Sciences Discipline Council; Dr. Bogdan Lang, representative of the University Council; Prof. Aleksandra Banaszkiewicz, Vice Dean for Student Affairs for the 3rd and 4th year of the Faculty of Medicine; Dr. Joanna Peradzyńska, Vice Dean for Education of the following fields of study: physiotherapy, audiophonology with hearing prosthetics and electroradiology of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry; Olga Ciepiela, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for student affairs for medical analytics; Jarosław Prugar, Deputy Chancellor for operations; Justyna Teliga-Czajkowska, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for Midwifery; Filip Raciborski, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for public health; Patryk Rzońca, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for dietetics and emergency medicine; Łukasz Czyżewski, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for nursing. On the university's side, there were also representatives of the Council of the Faculty of Health Sciences, representatives of the departments of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Dean's Office team of the Faculty of Health Sciences. - Invited guests:
Filip Nowak, President of the National Health Fund; Urszula Kuroczycka, Deputy Director of the Health Department of the Mazovian Provincial Office in Warsaw; Dr. Barbara Mazurkiewicz, Vice Chairwoman of the Regional Council of the Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives; Dr. Marcin Podgórski, Director of the Polish Medical Air Rescue; Barbara Toczko, Deputy Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection; Dr. Artur Walkiewicz, Deputy Director of the District Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in the city of Warsaw; Justyna Mieszalska, CEO of the Medical Center MUW; Sylwia Bartnicka, chief nurse of the Międzylesie Specialist Hospital in Warsaw; Dr. Artur Kamecki, Deputy Director for administrative and technical matters at the District Medical Emergency Station in Błonie; Anna Sadkowska, Deputy Director for nursing at the Independent Public Health Care Center Warszawa-Ochota; Katarzyna Pietrzak, ward nurse at the UCC MUW; Dr. Witold Boguta, President of the National Union of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Groups; Barbara Groele, Secretary General of the National Union of Juice Producers.
The “capping” ceremony was attended by:
- Representatives of our university:
Prof. Mariusz Gujski, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Prof. Robert Gałązkowski, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education - representing HM Rector of MUW; Prof. Tadeusz Grochowiecki, Vice Dean for Student Affairs for the 5th and 6th year of the Faculty of Medicine; Agnieszka Bazylko, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for pharmacy education; Wojciech Bogusz, Deputy Chancellor for Investments; Justyna Teliga-Czajkowska, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for midwifery; Filip Raciborski, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for public health; Patryk Rzońca, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for dietetics and emergency medicine; Łukasz Czyżewski, MD, PhD, Vice Dean for nursing. On the university's side, there were also representatives of the Council of the Faculty of Health Sciences, academic staff - representatives of the departments of the Faculty of Health Sciences. - Invited guests:
Urszula Kuroczycka, Deputy Director of the Health Department of the Mazovian Provincial Office; Krystyna Ptok, chairwoman of the All-Poland Trade Union of Nurses and Midwives; Dr. Barbara Mazurkiewicz, Vice Chairwoman of the Regional Council of the Warsaw Regional Chamber of Nurses and Midwives; Alicja Szewczyk, National Consultant in Diabetes Nursing; Justyna Mieszalska, President of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center MUW; Dr. Wojciech Puzyna, President of the Board of Directors of the “Żelazna” Medical Center Ltd, Director of St. Sophia’s Specialist Hospital; Prof. Piotr Suwalski, Director of the National Medical Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Warsaw; Katarzyna Maroń, Director of Economic and Financial Affairs at the University Center for Women's and Newborn Health; Julita Misiak, Director of Nursing and Obstetrics at the University Center for Women's and Newborn Health MUW; Lidia Nieścioruk, Director of Nursing at Grochowski Hospital in Warsaw; Marzena Sienicka, MA, Deputy Director of Nursing at the Princess Anna Mazowiecka Clinical Hospital on Karowa Street; Sylwia Dybkowska, Deputy Director of Nursing at the UCC MUW at Żwirki i Wigury Location; Halina Sęk, Deputy Director of Nursing at the UCC MUW at Banacha Location; Krzysztof Osmański, board member of Grochowski Hospital in Warsaw; Prof. Urszula Tataj-Puzyna, Assistant Professor at the Department of Obstetrics at the Medical Center for Postgraduate Education; Beata Dąbrowska, Coordinator of classes with the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UCC MUW at the Lindleya Location; Katarzyna Pietrzak, ward nurse at the Chair and Department of Neurology at the Central Clinical Hospital UCC MUW, Barbara Baranowska, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Obstetrics at the Medical Center for Postgraduate Education.
