{"id":49831,"date":"2026-11-04T06:00:28","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T05:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=49831"},"modified":"2026-11-04T14:14:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T13:14:26","slug":"dr-bimalangshu-dey-all-i-did-was-apply-what-i-had-learnt-at-semmelweis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2026\/11\/dr-bimalangshu-dey-all-i-did-was-apply-what-i-had-learnt-at-semmelweis\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Bimalangshu Dey: All I did was apply what I had learnt at Semmelweis"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the latest installment of our alumni interview series<\/a>, Dr. Bimalangshu (Bimal) Dey, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, a physician in the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a speaker at this year’s Semmelweis Symposium from November 16-18, spoke with remarkable fluency in Hungarian about his years at Semmelweis University and the collaboration between the Boston hospital and Bangladesh, which aims to improve oncology care and strengthen the nursing profession in his home country.<\/div>\n

What made you choose Semmelweis University?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
In the only photo of him with his parents, taken in 1985<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I didn’t actually want to be a doctor at first; in high school, math and physics were my favorite subjects, and my plan was to become a nuclear physicist. I remember my father once saying that he thought I would be a good doctor. After Bangladesh declared its independence in 1971, several Eastern European countries offered scholarships to my country in the years that followed. I was offered four or five scholarships to study abroad since I achieved the second-highest score out of 40,000 students in the national merit list and graduated from high school with excellent grades. Of these options, I chose the medical school in Budapest. When I told my father, although it broke his heart that I was going abroad, he was very happy that I had ultimately decided to pursue a career in medicine.<\/p>\n

Can you recall those first few days?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I arrived in Budapest on September 16, 1978, and now, 48 years later, I have returned on that same day for a meeting. When I realized this, I got goosebumps. I remember it was a foggy, grey day. The weather was already starting to cool down, which I found unusual compared to the climate back home. There I was, an 18-year-old alone and far from family. That day is so vivid in my memory that it feels as if it happened yesterday.<\/p>\n

You suggested that we talk in Hungarian. How did you manage to learn the language so well?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I completed my medical training before the English-language program even began. Before starting college, I took a nine-month intensive preparatory course in the Hungarian language and specialized subjects. In just a few months, we mastered the language so well that, by winter break, we could already write two- to three-page essays. Our teacher spoke only in Hungarian to us. Only once did one of our classmates manage to break her character, which made us realize that she had understood English the whole time!<\/p>\n

What were your university years like?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Bimal with his university classmates from 1979\u20131985<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hungary feels like home to me. I enjoyed every day at Semmelweis. I was a short, skinny boy, and my classmates liked me. To this day, I\u2019m still in regular contact with my fellow students Ervin Pitlik, L\u00e1szl\u00f3 G\u00e1ncs, and Katalin Kucsinka; they helped me a great deal when I felt lonely on weekends, far away from my family. I was already a third-year student when I finally felt confident that a career in medicine was right for me. I\u2019m good at connecting with people, I respect them and treat them with care. Throughout my studies, I always earned top grades and graduated with a 5.00 GPA. Unfortunately, my parents couldn’t come to my graduation ceremony, so my friends accompanied me. There were thousands of us at the ceremony; Endre Somogyi was the rector at the time and Attila Fony\u00f3 was the dean \u2013 what great men they were, and yet it didn\u2019t matter to them where anyone came from! Talking about this still moves me. When they announced my name, they said, “This colleague from Bangladesh has excelled in his studies from his first year through his final year. Please give him a round of applause!” Then, everyone cheered. Attila Fony\u00f3 even jokingly mentioned how boring my transcript was.<\/p>\n

Did you have particularly memorable teachers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
In 1983, as a third-year medical student, Bimal Dey conducted neuroendocrinology experiments under the guidance of Dr. G\u00e1bor Makara, recipient of the Semmelweis Pro Universitate Award<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to attend the lectures of J\u00e1nos Szent\u00e1gothai, a Professor of Anatomy, for whom I have the deepest respect. But I maintained a very good \u2013 one might even say close, almost familial \u2013 relationship with Rudolf de Ch\u00e2tel, who succeeded Attila Fony\u00f3 as dean of the Faculty of Medicine (\u00c1OK) and did a great deal to help international students. I would also like to mention Istv\u00e1n Holl\u00f3 as one of the most inspiring figures. He was a brilliant mind who introduced many innovations to the curriculum. He was the director of the then 1st Department of Internal Medicine, where I served as an intern. Thanks to his efforts, I became the first international student to receive state recognition. I will never forget biologist Gy\u00f6rgy Csaba\u2019s wonderful lectures and the textbook he wrote. Neurologist Endre Csanda was highly respectedamong his students. Although he demanded a great deal from them, he was also an excellent teacher and a dedicated educator. I took exams with Rector Ferenc Antoni twice; he recommended that I join the Students’ Scientific Association (TDK). I vividly remember Rector Andor Sz\u00e9cs\u00e9ny, internist Zsolt Tulassay \u2013 with whom I eventually developed a friendship \u2013 and Rector Tivadar Tulassay, but this list would not be complete without mentioning Tam\u00e1s Simon and Mikl\u00f3s Palkovits. If I had to name the ten professionals who have had the greatest impact on my medical career, at least six of them would be affiliated with Semmelweis. My resident students at Harvard often ask me how I can still remember biochemical concepts \u2013 such as the Szent-Gy\u00f6rgyi\u2013Krebs cycle \u2013 even after so many years. I am proud of my first three or four years of medical school, as I consider the theoretical education in Budapest to be of a unique standard. Whenever I teach, I always think of my former mentors.<\/p>\n

Beyond factual knowledge, what continues to benefit you to this day?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had very dedicated professors who tirelessly compiled the university lecture notes we used to prepare for our exams. I gained my sense of vocation and dedication from them. What I have become, I learned from them; all I did was apply what I had learnt at Semmelweis! I consider myself lucky and am grateful for what I have received from them.<\/p>\n

What are you particularly proud of?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2005, I realized that I wanted to give back to Bangladesh, for everything it has given me. As an oncologist, I began visiting my homeland, and gradually I was able to secure supporters for the initiative. We established a team at Massachusetts General Hospital, with whose assistance the Bangladeshi government launched the country’s bone marrow transplant program. We performed the first transplant on March 10, 2014, and I was fortunate to be part of the medical team as one of its leaders.<\/p>\n

I consider myself a spontaneous person, but at the same time, I believe that change is in our hands. Many nurses from the United States, when they accompany me to Bangladesh, are deeply moved by the poverty, the conditions in the hospitals there, and the sight of people lying on the floor. I usually tell them, \u201cAll right, feel free to have a good cry now, but then keep telling yourselves that nothing is impossible! We may not be able to solve everything, but if we can push change forward even a little bit, then that\u2019s what we have to do!\u201d<\/p>\n

What other principles guide you through life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
As a third-year medical student<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have a few role models \u2013 you could call them my gurus \u2013 who continue to have a big influence on me to this day. The first is my father, who was a simple but honest and wise man. I learned a great deal from him. He believed that there is something good in every person, even in our most bitter enemies, and that we must first find that goodness in others. When I graduated from high school with excellent grades, I asked him if he was satisfied with me. \u201cYes, you did very well, but don\u2019t forget, there\u2019s always room for improvement!\u201d he replied, and that\u2019s what I teach my students during their clinical rotations. Another of my gurus, whom I often listen to while driving, is the Indian poet and composer Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. But Tolstoy\u2019s parable The Three Questions<\/em> also had a profound impact on me, and I try to live my daily life according to its teachings. In this spirit, the most important thing for me is always the present moment; the most important person is you, the one I\u2019m speaking with right now; and the most important action is to do good for you. I take this literally: If someone contacts me with a question or a request, I always take it very seriously, sparing no time or energy, because I believe that this is how fate has ordained it \u2013 even if my family sometimes resents me for it.<\/p>\n

As I left Bangladesh (my home) so young, I felt the urge to find my \u201chome in the universe\u201d – otthonom az univerzumban, as the Hungarians would say. And I did exactly that wherever life took me\u2026 Ultimately, I have begun to build a growing \u201cfamily\u201d, I call it \u201cPoribar\u201d (a Bengali word for<\/em> “family”) which goes beyond my blood-related family to include all my friends and colleagues tied together by one virtue which at the same time acted as a guiding principle: love. It would not have been a smooth journey at Semmelweis University if I had not had the classmates\/friends like Ervin Pitlik, Katali Kucsinka, L\u00e1szl\u00f3 G\u00e1ncs and Harsh Singh. Also my brothers and sisters from Bangladesh and Hungary, who have become essential members of my Poribar are Harunbhai, Imtiaz Ahmed, Moinul Islam, Moloy Sarkar, Yusufbhai, Azadbhai, Sadeq, KowsarApa, Shekhar, Safique, Ejaz, Murad, Jahangir, Alfred, Jalal, Pintu, Alam, Rakib, Rabbi, Fajer, Nada, Gyula, Assad\u2026 I owe to each one of them for endless joy that they brought into my life. Must also thank Edward Robison Adams,<\/em> Maureen Robinson Adams, Annemarie Barron, Heather Shlosser, Iqbal Quadir, Thomas Israel, Nusrat Aman, and Rajiv Shaha, who have established my \u201cDeyLight Foundation\u201d. Sincere gratitude to my mentors at Harvard: Thomas Spitzer, Megan Sykes, David Sachs, for teaching me the \u201cfinest\u201d in basic scientific research and clinical medicine. Needless to say that my wife Chandra, my son Shomitro, my daughter Priyana, and my own brothers, sister, nephew, and nieces have helped me every step of the way with their love and emotional support\u2026 Finally, from the bottom of my heart I wish to say everyone of my extended family\u201dPoribar\u201d – home in the universe – which is now spread across the globe: Love you all, dearly (Nagyon szeretlek titeket). <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water\u201d – Rabindranath Tagore<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
The pioneer of bone marrow transplantation in his home country<\/h6>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dr. Bimalangshu Dey began his studies at Semmelweis University in 1978; prior to that, he had studied physics at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh\u2019s most prestigious institution of higher education. As a final-year medical student, he passed the qualifying exam administered by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). He graduated from Semmelweis University with summa cum laude honors and received an award from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in recognition of his outstanding achievements. After completing his studies, he served as a resident at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. From 1993 to 2024, he worked at Massachusetts General Hospital, then at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute \u2013 a world leader in cancer research and care \u2013 and is currently affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Exeter Hospital. He is board-certified in oncology, earned his Ph.D. in transplant immunology, and his primary area of expertise is bone marrow transplantation. He is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. He helped launch an international collaboration between MGH, Simmons University, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), AYAT College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the Government of Bangladesh, focusing primarily on oncology care, bone marrow transplantation, palliative care, and training for nurses in COVID-19 and intensive care. As one of the leaders of the medical team, he participated in the first bone marrow transplant in Bangladesh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Judit D\u0151tsch
\nImage credit: Bimalangshu Dey; Beth Israel Lahey Health<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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