The Graduation Ceremony of the Faculty of Medicine gathered about 2,000 guests. The ceremony was hosted by Prof. Paweł Włodarski, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
Diploma is just the beginning
Professor Włodarski, addressing the graduates of 2026, emphasized that the completion of the six-year program was a great personal success, achieved thanks to enormous work and sacrifices, with the support of families, relatives, but also teachers. At the same time, he reminded that receiving a diploma did not mean the end of education, but the beginning of a professional path and the associated responsibility.
“I would like this diploma that you will receive today to be not only a pass to your dream profession, but also a certain commitment. A lighthouse indicating the harbor from which you sail to the wide sea of your professional life,” said the Dean.
He also highlighted that medicine required constant expansion of knowledge, because the knowledge acquired during studies, although extensive, is insufficient for the entire professional career.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine strongly emphasized the physician's responsibility towards the patient. He reminded that professionalism meant not only effective treatment and improvement of skills, but also empathy, respect and responsibility for the trust earned from patients.
“Practice medicine, but do not forget that improving the art of medicine is not your goal. The ultimate goal is the patient's well-being.”
To conclude, the Dean wished the graduates not only professional success, but also a satisfying life, curiosity about the world and the ability to maintain their youthful enthusiasm.
7 dimensions of medical vocation
The speech of Prof. Rafał Krenke, the Rector of WUM, focused on 7 dimensions of the medical vocation. These are: man, mindfulness, sensitivity, tenacity, responsibility, humility and hope. The Rector devoted a special attention to the first three. He reminded that behind test results, diagnosis and treatment plan there is always a specific person with their story, fears and hopes. Therefore, the physician should not only have knowledge, but also be able to listen and perceive what the patient is sometimes unable to say.
“Not everything that's important can be measured. Not everything that is present and real can be seen on the screen. I hope you will be able to observe and listen carefully.”
The Rector also devoted a lot of attention to sensitivity. He pointed out that the experience of a disease is different from the perspective of the physician and the patient. For a medical professional, it may be one of many difficult days at work, while for the patient it may turn out to be one of the most difficult moments of life. Therefore, sensitivity means the ability to look at the situation through the eyes of another person and understand that the disease affects not only the body, but also the sense of security, plans and hope.
“I want to emphasize very strongly that sensitivity does not mean weakness. It means maturity. It allows you to be close to human suffering without losing your ability to act.”
Hope was the last of the seven words. The Rector spoke of it not as a promise of successful completion of treatment, but as of the presence of another person even when medicine runs out of options. The physician can still relieve pain, protect dignity and ensure that the patient is not left alone.
“Hope is not about promising that everything will be okay. It means that a person should not be left alone when things can no longer get better.”
To conclude, the Rector combined all the seven values into a symbolic path of the physician: man is its beginning, mindfulness allows to notice, sensitivity opens the heart, responsibility obliges to act, tenacity gives strength, humility sets the right measure, and hope gives meaning to this path.
Medical oath, awards and diplomas
A key moment of the ceremony was the taking of the oaths. The graduates declared that they accepted the title of the physician with reverence and gratitude, and understood the full weight of the associated responsibilities.
Next, Prof. Paweł Włodarski and Prof. Rafał Krenke presented diplomas, as well as a number of awards for the most outstanding graduates.
- Golden Laurel for the best graduate and a diploma with honors for the highest grade average (4.94) was awarded to Hubert Borzuta. He also received an award funded by TU INTER Polska S.A.
- Diplomas with honors for high grade average were also awarded to: Jan Pawłasek, Michał Majewski, Dominika Pachnowska, Martyna Hadam, Mateusz Żyła, Jakub Podstawka, Kamil Krauz, Martyna Kulawiec, Aleksandra Gardzielik, Jan Krupa, Magdalena Lesisz, Marta Wolszczak, Natalia Kamińska, Blanka Buszta, Angelika Stokłosiński, Zuzanna Skowronek, Michał Sekuła, Wojciech Michalski, Zuzanna Warzywoda, Filip Galicki, Kamil Tkacz, Joanna Rapiejko, Marta Gutkowska, Zuzanna Sokal, Rafał Bilski, Antoni Plasota, Aleksandra Kurek, Aleksandra Musioł, Adam Kubicki-Frączek, Maja Owe-Larsson, Katarzyna Mórdas-Żylińska, Zofia Marek, Krzysztof Bieliński, Patrycja Bucior, Małgorzata Preś, Aleksandra Szarejko, Natalia Chmielewska, Sylwia Olizarowicz, Barbara Buchalska, Mateusz Gotowiec, Benjamin Walkowski, Gabriela Afrykańska, Weronika Ploch, Aleksandra Ziomek, Urszula Pakuła, Aleksandra Barabasz, Adrian Tymiński, Julia Majkowska, Marta Obiedzińska, Dawid Sidorczuk, Julia Markowicz, Kinga Dzioba, Michał Szustakowski, Maria Zagajewska.
- The Golden Badge of the Student Scientific Society for the entire scientific work was awarded to: Maria Żmijewska, Piotr Olejnik, Jaromir Tomasik, Karol Sadowski, Barbara Buchalska, Maja Owe-Larsson, Kamil Tkacz, Kamil Krauz, Marta Mękarska, Karol Sadowski, Zuzanna Roszkowska, Mateusz Gotowiec, Jakub Adamus, Szymon Lipiec, Paweł Piluch, Maja Kłopecka.
- The awards from the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations IFMSA-Poland (Warsaw Branch) were given to: Anna Kułach, Angelika Stokłosiński, Maja Jabłońska, Zuzanna Jabłońska, Zuzanna Karczmarzyk, Weronika Stachera, Julia Petelska, Weronika Caban, Maria Konkol, Zofia Wyleżoł, Rafał Żuromskij.
- Awards for graduates who contributed to the Faculty and the Student Government WUM were given to: Anna Kupczak, Magdalena Kędrak, Emilia Figura.
- Awards for graduates involved in the activities of the Academic Sports Association WUM were given to: Angelika Stokłosiński, Wojciech Majewski, Gabriela Dębicka, Kacper Kowalski, Zuzanna Skowronek, Patryk Zięba, Rafał Żuromskij, Magdalena Warych, Anna Kupczak, Dominik Stanisławski, Magdalena Kędrak, Bartosz Machnio, Jakub Matłoka, Michał Polak, Michał Olejnik, Wiktoria Kolasińska, Davis Chaterera.
Knowledge, experience and people remain
Hubert Borzuta, the winner of the Golden Laurel of the Graduate, spoke on behalf of the graduates. He recalled that their student journey began at a special moment, in 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial enthusiasm and curiosity were accompanied by anxiety and doubt, and the first years brought a clash with the vastness of knowledge that needed to be acquired. However, as he emphasized, the very understanding of studying medicine has changed over time.
“We understood that studying medicine meant not only learning new names or schemes, but also the ability to ask questions, seek answers and be aware of one's own ignorance.”
The laureate of the Golden Laurel pointed out that the transition from pre-clinical sciences to classes in hospitals was an important moment of the student journey. It was then that the knowledge gained during studies began to take on a practical dimension. He emphasized that the past six years had changed the graduates not only as future physicians, but also as people entering adulthood. He mentioned the people who accompanied them on this journey, as well as teachers and mentors who were their professional inspiration. In conclusion, Hubert Borzuta addressed his classmates directly:
“I hope we will achieve further successes, become great specialists, but, above all, remain good people.”
Anna Kupczak, the student representative of the year, who had just graduated, also spoke. She pointed out that the long-awaited graduation brought not only joy and pride, but also nostalgia. She talked about how the students themselves, their plans and priorities changed over those six years, and above all, about the relationships built during that time. She said that the shared experiences, friendships and ordinary moments spent together would remain the most important memories of studying.
“In time, we will probably not remember most of the questions that once seemed to us the most important thing in the world. But there will be people.”
The graduates were also addressed by Dr Małgorzata Terlecka-Maciejewska, the Vice President of the Warsaw District Medical Council. She congratulated them on behalf of the President of the Supreme Medical Council, Dr Łukasz Jankowski, on behalf of the President of the District Medical Council, Dr Artur Drobniak, and on her own behalf.
At the end, a commemorative photo was taken and the graduates tossed their graduation caps. The musical setting of the ceremony was provided by the Choir of the Medical University of Warsaw.
Apart from the abovementioned speakers, the event was also attended by: Prof. Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska, the Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs and Investment, Prof. Adam Liebert, the Chairman of the WUM University Council, deans and vice deans of WUM faculties: Prof. Piotr Luliński, Dr Joanna Peradzyńska, Dr Justyna Teliga-Czajkowska, the Chair of the Health Sciences Discipline Council – Prof. Janusz Wyzgał, former WUM Rectors: Prof. Tadeusz Tołłoczko, Prof. Andrzej Górski, as well as Anastazja Więckiewicz, the Director of Duchess Anna Mazowiecka Clinical Hospital, Elżbieta Mickiewicz-Dytko, the Director of the Międzylesie Specialist Hospital, members of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, members of the Board of the Student Government of the Faculty of Medicine and Aleksandra Ochnik, the President of the Main Board of the Student Government, Marta Kijak-Bloch, the Chancellor of WUM, Katarzyna Ładno, the Director of INTER Polska branch.
The event was co-hosted by Vice Deans of the Faculty of Medicine: Prof. Renata Główczyńska, Prof. Aleksandra Banaszkiewicz, Prof. Aneta Nitsch-Osuch and Prof. Tadeusz Grochowiecki.
