Nearly two thousand guests attended the graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Medicine. On that joyous day, the graduates were accompanied by their loved ones as well as university representatives and invited guests.
“Go out into the world to treat people, and keep learning. Keep discovering medicine and advancing it forward. And, most importantly, always advocate for your patients” – with these words Professor Paweł Włodarski, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and host of the ceremony, addressed the main protagonists at the beginning of the event.
Stay Alert and Inquisitive
Although the knowledge gained throughout university years is an indispensable foundation for practicing medicine, the Dean emphasized that graduation did not mean the end of learning, and the graduates would need to expand their knowledge throughout their careers.
“Stay alert, stay inquisitive. Your curious mind will be the most effective tool in your fight for your patient’s health,” Professor Włodarski said.
He also stressed that no other profession teaches humility the way being a doctor does. Yet he implored with the alumni that they always learn from their failures and keep expanding their knowledge, which is the only way to gain experience as a doctor.
“And remember to always rely exclusively on scientifically proven findings. Medicine is very conservative in this respect. It does not promise miracles, but gives patients a real chance of healing.”
He ended by adding:
“Dear Graduates! This is your day. Along with everyone else present here today, I am incredibly proud of you! Go and change the world for the better. We know you can do it!”
Success Does Not Breed Happiness – It Is the Other Way Round
This was the message from the Rector of the WUM, Professor Rafał Krenke. He asked graduates to remember that happiness does not come from career, money, or status. It comes from relations.
“Strong, authentic relations are what makes people live longer, cope with stress and illness better, and even recover faster. Think about this in the context of your future work,” he emphasized.
Success is also born out of working for the benefit of others and being able to maintain balance, as medicine can engulf one’s whole life, turning great passion into exhaustion, and empathy into burnout.
“Doctors able to rest, to take care of their personal lives and passions, are much less likely to suffer burnout. This is not luxury, this is a necessary condition for being able to take care of your patients in the long run. So nurture your families and friendships, learn to pause, even if for a moment, for a weekend, a vacation; if you do not pause, but keep on running, you lose the ability to notice the world around you, the important things,” said Professor Krenke.
He ended by wishing the graduates courage, including the courage to ask questions and admit mistakes; curiosity, which is what prevents medicine from becoming a matter of routine; maintaining balance between believing in your own strength and skills, on the one hand, and staying humble and ready to acknowledge one’s own ignorance, on the other; and good relations with other people, topped with gratitude.
The Doctor’s Oath, Awards, and Diplomas
After the speeches, graduates recited the doctor’s oath, declaring they received the title of doctor with respect and deep gratitude, and they recognized the weight of obligation that comes with it.
Then the graduation diplomas were presented, along with a range of prizes for outstanding graduates.
- The Golden Graduate Laurel for the best graduate, and a diploma with honors for the highest grade average (4.92) went to Zuzanna Janicka and Aleksandra Płusa. Their prize was also sponsored by TU INTER Polska S.A.
- Diplomas with honors for high grade average were also awarded to: Justyna Kącikowska, Jan Domański, Alicja Danieluk, Zofia Wnuk, Aleksandra Lisowska, Piotr Szczepański, Maria Sudomir, Paulina Szot, Joanna Zygadło, Maciej Michałowski, Zuzanna Wojtczak, Jakub Zwardoń, Julia Sobkowiak, Szymon Kosek, Wojciech Kubacki, Paulina Kalman, Hoang Viet Krajewski, Natalia Rosół, Katarzyna Widomska, Małgorzata Drążkiewicz, Zuzanna Witkowska, Katarzyna Otrębska, Maciej Kalita, Hubert Bochenek, Michał Kotowicz, Zuzanna Walczak, Magdalena Bukowska, Aleksandra Zagórska, Magdalena Gehrke, Patrycja Markowicz, Julia Tańska, Krzysztof Rogulski, Krystsina Babkova, Piotr Jachimowski, Michał Lewczuk, Kamila Jałocha, Wiktoria Modrzejewska, Alicja Chwała, Jan Kucharski, Zofia Podraza, Filip Kowalik, Paweł Szajewski, Jakub Grabowski, Paulina Gryz, Grzegorz Szmit, Łukasz Lamparski, Julia Hanke, Anna Paska, Maja Kaczor, Anna Chwastowicz, Filip Jakubowicz, Dominika Kurpiewska, Katarzyna Rendaszka, Klaudia Wojtach, Dominik Bilicki, Dominika Lewandowska, Oliwia Grzelak, Karol Knysak, Zuzanna Ostrowska, Rafał Koch, Joanna Ciećwierz.
- The Student Scientific Society awarded Golden Badges for overall scientific work. Those went to: Magdalena Justyniarska, Emilia Włoszek, Grzegorz Procyk, Przemysław Kasiak, Paulina Kalman, Wiktoria Stańska, Zuzanna Wojtczak, Anna Terlecka, Anna Rapiejko, Jan Domański, Paulina Szot, Joanna Zygadło, Mikołaj Kuncewicz, Natalia Krajewska, Aleksandra Szredzka, Marcin Dymkowski, Zofia Podraza.
- The International Federation of Medical Students Associations – IFMSA-Poland Warsaw Division rewarded the following graduates: Jakub Komorowski-Roszkiewicz, Łukasz Bialic, Marta Korchowiec, Mikołaj Kuncewicz, Maja Kaczan.
- Alicja Danieluk and Bartosz Rutka received the “Key to the Medic’s House” recognition for their huge contributions for the WUM community. Bartosz Rutka and Jan Majczyk received recognition for their work within the Student Government of the Faculty of Medicine.
- Bartosz Rutka, Jan Majczyk, Alicja Danieluk and Mateusz Sucharski received awards from all presidents of dean groups for outstanding students and those highly committed to student matters.
- Last but not least, prizes were awarded to graduates who had been active in the WUM Academic Sports Association. Those went to: Aleksandra Szredzka, Laura Mikuła, Mateusz Szczerba and Andrzej Domański.
The Graduates Speak
Aleksandra Płusa and Zuzanna Janicka, winners of the Golden Graduate Laurel, spoke on behalf of the graduates. Summarizing their six years at the university, Aleksandra Płusa emphasized:
“Those were years of intense study, self-sacrifice, sleepless nights; but this was also a time for growing up, a time that has shaped us as future doctors – and as humans. It is here, at the WUM, that we have learned to take responsibility for ourselves and others, to stay patient, and first and foremost – to stay humble towards others.”
And even though this has been a challenging time, the mutual support and satisfaction from taking on challenges together have given the graduates something special – a sense of community.
“We are leaving with memories that will always bring us together, because even though we will go our different ways, we will always carry this shared history in our hearts,” Aleksandra Płusa added.
Zuzanna Janicka expressed her thanks to everyone who had supported the graduates on their university journey: the teaching staff – for their knowledge, motivation, and understanding; fellow graduates – for solving problems together, encouraging one another, and sharing new ideas that propelled everyone forward; and their families and loved ones – for their unrelenting faith and celebrating their smallest triumphs.
“Let’s also thank ourselves: we are the ones who persisted where others have given up, and we owe it to our own hard work, paired with dedication to our mission, which have led us to where we are today,” she said.
This was followed by a speech from Bartosz Rutka, up until recently member of the Student Government of the Faculty of Medicine.
“When I look at you, I can see excellent doctors. The future of Polish healthcare, how it will function, will depend on you,” he told the graduates. And he added: “We have worked together as friends, supported each other with kindness, and pursued a common goal. I hope we can continue to uphold those values in our journeys as doctors, and that we can continue to work so well and so effectively, regardless of the direction our careers take us.”
Graduates also received best wishes from Jakub Zakrzewski, PhD, Vice Chairman of the Regional Council of Physicians in Warsaw.
The ceremony ended with a performance by the Mellow Quartet, composed of dr Agnieszka Radziwonka – this year’s graduate, and dr Jan Kucharski – this year’s graduate, who played the violin; dr Michał Budzikowski, WUM graduate, currently a resident in psychiatry, playing the viola; and Aleksandra Mierzejewska, MA, a graduate in law, on the cello.
A commemorative photo was taken at the end, and graduates threw their mortarboards up in the air. The Choir of the Medical University of Warsaw provided musical accompaniment for the entire event.
Watch the video from the ceremony!
Apart from the individuals mentioned above, the following people attended the graduation ceremony, among others: Professor Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska, Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs and Investments; Professor Marek Kuch, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education; Professor Adam Liebert, Chairman of the WUM University Council; deans and vice deans of other faculties: Professor Mariusz Gujski, Piotr Luliński, PhD Hab., Professor Izabela Domitrz; former WUM rectors: Professor Tadeusz Tołłoczko, Professor Andrzej Górski, Professor Marek Krawczyk, Professor Mirosław Wielgoś; Jakub Zakrzewski, PhD, Vice Chairman of the Regional Council of Physicians in Warsaw; Ewa Piotrowska, MA, Director of the Duchess Anna Mazowiecka Clinical Hospital; Robert Jarzębski, PhD, Deputy Director for Therapeutics at the Duchess Anna Mazowiecka Clinical Hospital; Monika Dominik from the TU INTER Polska S.A. insurance company in Warsaw; members of the Council of the Faculty of Medicine; members of the Student Government Board at the Faculty of Medicine; and Anna Kupczak, chairperson of the Main Student Government Board.
The ceremony was co-hosted by Vice Deans of the Faculty of Medicine: Professor Renata Główczyńska, Professor Aleksandra Banaszkiewicz, Professor Aneta Nitsch-Osuch, Professor Tadeusz Grochowiecki, and Jacek Sieńko, PhD Hab.
