The graduating medical students have taken their official oath before the conferment, and afterwards were conferred upon the degree of Doctor of Dental Medicine by Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs, Dr. Gábor Gerber, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry and Dr. Károly Bartha, Vice-Dean.
The freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine were asked by Vice-Rector Hermann to always remain loyal to the oath that they have taken in order to care for and heal patients, to contribute to the achievement of the goals set by health care, to do their professional duty with the utmost diligence, to maintain and develop their theoretical and practical knowledge at a high standard, to act as enthusiastic participants of the Hungarian health care system and to serve mankind as loyal citizens of the country.
On behalf of the freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine Dr. Dorottya Mezei, Dr. Crowley Michael Jordan and Dr. Adrian Stetter addressed the audience. As Dr.Dorottya Mezei emphasized, they were provided with such knowledge and attitude during their university years, with the help of which they will be able to make own decisions and to choose the best treatment for their patients on their own. According to Dr. Mezei they were taught by the university how to make decisions with the help of evidence based medicine. A degree received at the Faculty of Dentistry of Semmelweis University means warranty to become such a professional, who aims at dealing with the causes of an illness, too, not just the consequences.
During the ceremony the following awards were handed over to the freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine: the awardee of the Károly Balogh Medallion and Award was Dr. Orsolya Pethő; the Gyula Máthé Award was handed over to Dr. Cynthia Bóta.
Dean Gerber started his ceremonial speech with his most recent theatre experience, according to which one of the characters of the play often said that in the end, somehow, in a mysterious way everything would turn out to be good. As Dean Gerber explained, probably many students experienced this several times during their studies: as a result of persistence and hard work, finally everything turns out to be good. He recalled that as an anatomist and dean, he had the opportunity to follow the student life of the graduates starting from the very first day until their last day spent at the university. Students have to fulfil several hundred smaller or larger exams during their studies.
“On the way heading towards the diploma, not only the knowledge is measured, but students can gain experience in how to communicate is stressful situations, which is inevitable in the life of a medical doctor. The ability to have an insight into human nature and to have a self-awareness can support the freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine to be able to inform their patients clearly in every situation and to be able to choose the best treatment for them.”, highlighted Dean Gerber.
Dean Gerber also emphasized that Semmelweis University is ranked among the best 600 higher-education institutions in the world according to the ranking list prepared by Times Higher Education. The Faculty has more than 800 students from 37 countries all over the world. According to Dean Gerber the diploma received at Semmelweis University has a great prestige worldwide, which demonstrates that the proprietor of the diploma is well prepared to cure his/her patients on the basis of evidence based medicine. As Dean Gerber explained, he thinks that one of the greatest challenges of the university is to prepare its students for lifelong learning, which is nowadays inevitable in our scientifically rapidly developing world. He also considers that it is essential to continuously develop the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired at the university: those who do not proceed ahead, they basically move backwards.
According to Dean Gerber having a Semmelweis diploma is a perfect passport in Europe and all over the world, not only in terms of clinical work, but also in the area of scientific research. He reminded the students that now they have become alumni of the university: on the basis of the oath they have just taken, students are required to do their best to promote and keep the good name of Semmelweis University. Dean Gerber assured the graduates that the university will remain open for them and will provide them with all the support to be able to be successful in keeping its good name.
During the ceremony Dr. István Gera held a speech for the freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine in English, and Dr. Károly Bartha addressed the audience in German.
At the end of the ceremony, Vice-Rector Hermann commemorated Ignaz Semmelweis, the namesake of our university, who was born exactly on July 1, on the same day when the Graduation Ceremony 2017 of the Faculty of Dentistry was being held. Since 1990 this day has become Semmelweis Day when we celebrate Hungarian health care. Vice-Rector Hermann expressed his hope that the freshly graduated Doctors of Dental Medicine will all have the same thirst for knowledge towards the unknown, as well as the same inextinguishable curiosity during their professional career, which was characteristic of Ignaz Semmelweis.
Tímea Kele
Photo: Zoltán Adrián
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi