“At first, it was like being thrown into cold water. But it shaped us in a good way. We received a thorough education that enables us to take a very good position anywhere in the world,” Dr. Alpár Alán quoted one of the heads of the German students’ association, Deutschsprachige Studentenvertretung Semmelweis (DSVS). The vice-rector for international studies noted in his welcome address that the application for the English and German-language programs was currently open. In this context, an increasing number of motivation letters are being received which reveal that a relative, either one or both parents of the applicant, graduated from Semmelweis University.
So we asked ourselves what the university had to offer that made our former students send their offspring back after so many years. Based upon your feedback, two things: knowledge and perseverance.
– Dr. Alán Alpár
As a result, the vice-rector added, those present were practicing one of the most sacred vocations: they were all working for patients, many of them in the world’s most prestigious universities. Of course, students were just as much a part of the success, taking the risk to come and study in a foreign country in the changing world of the 1980s. Some of them stayed here, while others returned home and took a small piece of Semmelweis University with them to many parts of the world. “It is lovely to educate our students in the most sensitive period of their lives, which not only leaves impressions in their minds, but also their hearts,” said Dr. Alán Alpár. He concluded by welcoming the audience in German and recalling his experiences as a research fellow at the University of Leipzig, referencing his supervisor, Professor Thomas Arendt, about the difficulties of conducting research: “Is it feasible? If yes, then do it!”
Gallery
The meeting continued with a roundtable discussion reminiscing and presenting plans, moderated by Dr. Tamás Hegedüs, Head of the Alumni Directorate. In the panel session, three Semmelweis alumni shared their insights: Dr. István Gera, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Periodontology, a key player in the international training program and Program Director of the Dental Training Program; Vice-Rector Dr. Alán Alpár; and UK-based pediatrician Dr. Loucas Christodoulou. “At this meeting, we can come back to our roots and meet old friends. For me, just being able to meet a former classmate at the entrance was worth the trip,” said Dr. Loucas Christodoulou, who believes that “the more we suffer together, the closer we become.” That is why it is a priority for him as an alumnus to try and give back to his university community for all he received during his years here.
Dr. István Gera recalled the start of the foreign-language program – the “Stone Age”, as he called it in his personal report, talking about the initial challenges and the familial atmosphere of the first cohorts. He also paid special tribute to his colleagues who played a pivotal role in launching the English and German-language programs, especially the late Professors Anna Kádár and Attila Fonyó. Among the motivations behind starting a bi-national off-site training at Asklepios Campus Hamburg 17 years ago, Dr. Alán Alpár highlighted the intention of presenting the mentality of Semmelweis University abroad. The participants recalled the feeling of living in an era before mobile phones and the internet, which sometimes required inventiveness and cultural sensitivity when arriving in an unfamiliar city but could also lead to unexpected encounters. The second part of the roundtable gave an overview of the state of play, focusing on the international training, the shifting student trends, the coordination of diverse educational needs, plans for the future, and the community-led funding of medical education.
I am delighted that so many of you attended this reunion today. It’s heartwarming to see you gather and take photos. When we started to organize this meeting, this was the success we had in mind.
– Dr. Tamás Hegedüs
During the afternoon, the former students revisited the Basic Medical Science Center (EOK), the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center, the Dental Center, the Pető Institute, and McDaniel College.
Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of the university, addressed the alumni at the gala dinner. “I regard Semmelweis Citizens as one big family. No matter where we come from or where our careers take us, the name Semmelweis will forever bind us together. A degree from our university is like a surname or a special title that we can bear proudly for the rest of our lives,” noted the rector. “You are carrying on not only the name of our institution but also the legacy of our namesake. But as heirs of Ignác Semmelweis, it is our duty not only to preserve the values that have been handed down to us, but also to continue to work to enrich them,” pointed out Dr. Béla Merkely, who then went on to report on the recent achievements of Semmelweis University.
On the second day of the event, the former students visited the historic district of Budapest and continued reminiscing on a cruise. During the weekend, the alumni met with faculty leaders Dr. Gabriella Dörnyei Bednárik, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Andrea Zsebe, Dean of the András Pető Faculty; Dr. István Antal, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Dr. Beáta Pethes Dávid, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Health and Public Administration, as well as international student assistants and current staff of the institutions, thus having ample opportunity to share personal experiences.
“I started my studies in 1988, my father dropped me off at Margaret Bridge and bid me farewell, saying, ‘Have fun! You will manage.’ And of course it was hard, but now I would say: If you survive it, you will love it! Some of the friendships I made then are still lasting. And I can tell you that Semmelweis is getting into your DNA, as two of my children also studied here,” said Susanne Esche-Belke, alumna from Germany.
Tom Cato Karlsen also shared his memories: “When I came to study in Hungary in 1995, I was made fun of back home. But now, when I tell someone in the medical field that my son is studying at Semmelweis, they are very appreciative, because since then, 6-700 doctors have graduated and returned to Norway and have demonstrated the high quality of education here.”
Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photos by Bálint Barta, Boglárka Zellei – Semmelweis University; Zoltán Lipták – Alumni Directorate
