“The freshly graduated Doctors of Pharmacy did not choose a profession but a vocation that serves other people” – Graduating Ceremony at the Faculty of Pharmacy

Dr. Ágoston Szél, Rector, and Dr. Romána Zelkó, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences conferred a Doctor of Pharmacy degree upon 151 graduating pharmacy students: 24 graduating students received summa cum laude degree, 78 of them received cum laude degree and 49 of them received rite degree. On behalf of this year’s graduating pharmacy students Dr. Tamás Pálla held a speech in Hungarian, Dr. Zürn Moritz addressed the audience in German and Dr. Sairafi Camelia gave a speech in English.

“I wish to you all that your promises taken during the solemn oath shall come true.”, said Rector Szél in his speech to the freshly graduated Doctors of Pharmacy.

As Dean Zelkó expressed, based on the current evaluation system in higher education, our pharmaceutical education is carried out at three faculties of two outstanding research universities, thus contributing greatly to the recognition of their own institutions.

“I would like to thank my fellow teachers not only from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, but from the Faculty of Medicine and Eötvös Loránd University’s Faculty of Science, whose commitment and proficiency towards education have been outstanding. The value of diplomas and their reputation have changed a lot lately, however, a pharmaceutical degree still has a high prestige and is well respected if it is paired with an open-minded and creative personality, who is able to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. You did not choose a profession but a vocation that serves other people. The pharmaceutical vocation is an autonomous and open-ended activity, which is determined by the patient’s often changing and unpredictable needs. The best remedies for the patient’s vulnerability are devotion, supportive respect and love. When recalling the solemn oath you have taken, do not forget your duty to continuously educate yourselves in order to provide the best possible service in prevention and patient recovery.”, said Dean Zelkó.

During the ceremony the “Teaching Pharmacist of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Semmelweis University” award was handed over. Those teaching pharmacists are awarded with this title, who had been engaged in the compulsory summer practical training of the pharmacy students for a long time, as well as in the preparation for the General Boarding Examination (GBE), who are teaching the students efficiently on a high standard and who are continuously developing their theoretical and practical knowledge. The awarded prize-winner this year was Dr. Lívia Ilku, Director of Hungary’s Main Domestic Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association.

The “Associate Teacher of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Semmelweis University” award was handed over to Dr. Tamás Molnár, Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Science Budapest, as well as to Dr. Herta Goóts, Head of the Department of Marketing Authorization of Drugs at Gedeon Richter. With this award the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences recognizes the excellent performance of those teachers who are not pharmacists by qualification, but who have been engaged in the instruction of pharmacy students at least for 5 years and who have been doing an academically significant professional work proven by publications and professional academic degrees.