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600 young scientists participated in the 20th edition of WIMC

Three people standing on stage during the award ceremony: on the left and right, young women; in the middle, a young man. The person on the left is wearing a red jacket and holding documents. The person in the middle is wearing a dark suit and tie, and the person on the right is wearing a light-coloured jacket and holding a large cheque worth £3,000 with “20th WIMC” written on it.
The Warsaw International Medical Congress is an event created by students for students. It provides a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience, as well as to meet people from all over the world who have similar interests and are pursuing interesting scientific projects. And as can be seen from this year's turnout, the congress is a recognizable initiative and is held in high regard by young scientists.

The program of the congress, held April 11-13, included 30 scientific sessions, nearly 50 workshops, two panel discussions and three expert lectures. All to inspire and encourage collaboration. The whole event was organized by students from the MUW Student Scientific Society with the support of student scientific clubs and the university, as well as partners and sponsors, and thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. 

- WIMC is a very important congress in the life of our university - said Rector Professor Rafal Krenke at the opening of the conference - For two decades it has evolved into one of the most significant platforms where we can present students’ research results, engage them in critical discussions, seek new inspirations and build scientific contacts to support the exchange of student ideas, knowledge and research in the medical field.

- It is said that you build the foundations of your future life before you are 30 – stressed in turn Prof. Mariusz Tomaniak, the Rector's Plenipotentiary for the Student Scientific Movement - I firmly believe that studying medicine is the best time to start researching and building a career. Although the fact that you are sitting here today means that you already know the secret, so please continue your research and don't stop.

Presenting the results of your own research is a valuable skill

As many as 630 young scientists decided to submit speeches to the congress this year, of which 400 were qualified. They presented the results of their research in selected thematic areas during one of the sessions. And there were more than 30 of them. The papers were evaluated by scientists with a big academic achievements. What did they take into account? Substantive values, attractiveness of the topic, independence of the work, but also the manner of presentation. Engagement, clarity of speech or interaction with the audience are as important as modern research methods or surprising results. WIMC allows you to acquire or polish this skill.

Winners were selected in each session and awarded during the official closing ceremony of the conference. The website, which lists the winners of all sessions

- Sharing research results is an opportunity to verify one's hypotheses and look at a problem from a different angle. It also fosters the spread of knowledge that can assist students who are just planning the research process. And this is what we care about the most - stressed Maria Zmijewska, President of the 20th edition of the congress - We are proud that so many young people are interested in science, and that they have decided to take part in our congress. I hope that the next editions will also enjoy such great interest.

Lots of practice

This year, the workshop offer included almost 50 proposals! The organizers managed to invite many student scientific clubs operating at MUW, whose representatives shared their skills. Because biomedical science is all about practice.

The SKN Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care provided an opportunity to practice life-saving procedures for the youngest patients, while the SKN at the Department of Cardiac Surgery UCC MUW cannulated the heart during extracorporeal circulation and tied surgical knots. At the workshop prepared by the SKN Otorhinolaryngology, one could discover the differences between peripheral and central vertigo, perform diagnostic maneuvers and learn how to treat patients with a common condition encountered in emergency departments - benign paroxysmal vertigo; at the SKN Kidney workshop, one could learn how to effectively drain abscesses and place drains; and at the SKN Pediatric Rehabilitation workshop, one could learn how to perform a neurological examination, assess reflexes and muscle tone.

Inspiring lectures and interesting discussions

The first speaker, Prof. Marek Postula, talked about whether immunization and healthy lifestyles should be combined in a complementary strategy. Igor Zalewski answered the question, what makes some people immediately perceived as reliable and professional, while others struggle to gain trust? Prof. Anita Arsovska discussed the history of stroke treatment, as well as the use of new treatments.

In a panel discussion titled “Artificial intelligence in medicine - the future is now,” experts Prof. Maciej Sinski, Piotr Kalinowski, MD, PhD, Adam Górecki-Gomola, MD, Dorota Szymborska, Aneta Sieradzka and Mateusz Kuras presented innovations based on artificial intelligence, the ethical challenges associated with it and the future of this technology in healthcare. The panel was moderated by Emilia Wloszek, Head of the WIMC Organizing Committee.

The second discussion panel, under the auspices of Prof. Anna Kostera-Pruszczyk, Chairwoman of the Rare Diseases Council, dealt with the complexity of rare diseases diagnosis from multiple points of view: patient, clinician and geneticist. The panel included Dr. Ewa Sobieszczuk, Dr. Krzysztof Szczałuba, Prof. Piotr Skrzypczyk and a patient living with myasthenia gravis. The panel was moderated by Piotr Olejnik, a member of the WIMC Organizing Committee.

 

In addition to the Rector, the event was also attended by Prof. Marek Kuch, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk, Vice Rector for Human Resources, Prof. Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska, Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs and Investments, and Prof. Michal Grąt, Vice Rector for International Relations, Development and Promotion.

The next edition of the congress will be held next year, on April 17-19, 2026! You are invited!


The organizing committee of the WIMC, in addition to those mentioned above, consisted of students: Karolina Kowalczyk, Kamil Tkacz, Kamila Krupa, Maja Kłopecka, Weronika Dwojak, Emilia Kulikowska, Adrian Bednarek, Jan Zakrzewski, Mikołaj Biegański, Mateusz Wójcik, Zofia Kurek, Julia Dźwinacka, Marta Mękarska, Ewelina Piórkowska, Paweł Piluch, Aleksandra Kowalska, Magdalena Kędrak.
 

A group of five young women. Some of them are standing, some are sitting. They are dressed informally. One of them shows a peace sign with her hand. Windows and a banner with the “WIMC” logo are visible in the background.
Two young women, organisers of the event, elegantly dressed, smile for the photo. The person on the left wears a green jacket and has a name tag hanging around her neck. The person on the right wears a beige jacket and also has a badge hanging around her neck. There is a group of people in the background.
A group of young people in a spacious room. In the background are tables where some of the participants are standing and talking. Most people are dressed formally, in suits and elegant clothes. Some are holding cups of drinks or plates of snacks.
Three standing people. On the left, two young women, elegantly dressed: one in white, the other in green. On the right, an older man, Professor Rafal Krenke, Rector of the WUM, dressed in a dark suit and tie, speaks into the microphone.
Three standing people. On the left, two young women, elegantly dressed: one in white, the other in green. On the right, a young man, Professor Mariusz Tomaniak, dressed in a dark suit and tie, speaks into a microphone.
Conference participants: a group of elegantly dressed people, men and women, of all ages, sitting on red chairs, applauding, smiling.
A man in a navy blue suit, Professor Marek Postula, stands behind the lectern and gives a presentation.
Seven people sit on the auditorium stage to participate in the discussion. Behind them is a large screen displaying the logo and title of the event. Banners of various sponsors and organisations are visible on either side of the stage.
Four men, dressed in suits, sit in armchairs in the auditorium, taking part in a panel discussion. One of them is holding a microphone and speaking. A projection screen with the “WIMC” logo is visible in the background.
Three people: two young women and a man in an auditorium. One person stands behind the lectern and speaks into the microphone, the other two are seated. Behind them, a large multimedia screen displays a slide entitled “Materials and methods”. The slide contains an icon representing a group of people and the text “266 patients”.
Three people: two young women and a man in an auditorium. One person stands behind the lectern and speaks into the microphone. She gestures. Behind the persons, a multimedia screen which displays graphs in yellow.
A group of people, elegantly dressed, stand in the middle of the auditorium and pose for a photo, some of them smiling. A large multimedia screen with the WIMC logo can be seen in the background.
A young man, in a dark blue suit, with his long hair tied back, stands behind the lectern and speaks. To the right of the person is a computer monitor.
A group of middle-aged people are sitting in an auditorium. Papers lie on the tables in front of them. One of the people, a woman, speaks into a microphone held in her hand.
A young man, a WIMC participant, stands behind the lectern and speaks into the microphone. He is wearing a checked jacket and shirt. In the background is a projection screen with WUM and WIMC logos. A computer monitor stands next to the person.
Workshop participants during an exercise. They sit at tables with medical instruments on them.
A group of people, participants in the workshop, work at a table covered with white pads. Each person is wearing blue disposable gloves and using medical instruments.
Four men of different ages and one woman stand on stage, holding certificates in their hands. Behind them is a large screen displaying the text “20th WIMC Warsaw International Medical Congress” along with the logo and additional information about the event.
The speaker, Prof. Anita Arsovska, standing in the auditorium, stands behind the lectern and shows a presentation. Behind her, on a large multimedia screen, a slide with captions and photos is displayed. Next to it, on the left, a rollup of the congress with the WIMC caption and logo can be seen.
Three elegantly dressed people: two young women, Maria Zmijewska and Emilia Wloszek, and a man, Mariusz Tomaniak, stand behind the lectern and speak. Behind them is a large screen displaying the logos “Warsaw Medical University” and “20th WIMC.” The background of the screen shows an image of buildings.
Three clear glass trophies with inscriptions and several red boxes containing gold medals arranged in a row.
Seven people: four women and two men, elegantly dressed, stand on a stage in the auditorium and smile for the camera. Some of them hold diplomas and navy blue bags in their hands. Behind them in the background is a multimedia screen.
A group of elegantly dressed people, including the rectoral authorities and organizers, stand in front of a large screen that displays the text “Thank you!” and “20th WIMC Warsaw International Medical Congress.”
A large group of people standing on a stage in the auditorium. In the background is a screen with the words “20th WIMC Closing Ceremony.” Banners and posters related to the event are also visible on the stage. In front of the stage are rows of red chairs.