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On 27 June, the graduation ceremonies for medical students were held at the University of Pécs Medical School in the Dr. Romhányi György Aula. A total of 159 students graduated from the Hungarian-language programme and received their degrees during the morning ceremony, while the 187 graduates of the English- and German-language programmes were celebrated in the early afternoon.

“Profession and science are inseparable in our field. Not everything can be solved through routine practice; we must constantly keep track of new developments, while also recognising that artificial intelligence cannot solve every problem. We need to ask the right questions, and critical thinking is equally important because those diseases are the most difficult to diagnose, which we encounter rarely in clinical practice,” said Professor Attila Miseta, rector of the University of Pécs, at the beginning of his speech. He added that medicine is also an art to some extent, as physicians are often faced with significant challenges presented by both their environment and their patients. He also stressed that the graduates now entering the profession carry considerable social responsibility, requiring them to take a critical yet constructive stand throughout their careers.

Since 2022, graduation ceremonies at the Medical School have also featured a motivational speech delivered by alumni who graduated either from the School or from its predecessor institution, the Medical University of Pécs. This year’s motivational speaker was Professor Gábor Tigyi, an internationally renowned professor of biochemistry and pharmacology, who started his postdoctoral training at the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Szeged and continued it at the Department of Biochemistry of Uppsala University, the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, and at the University of California, Irvine. He has been a full professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center since 1992, and served as head of the department from 2006 to 2016. He has held the title of the Harriet Van Vleet Foundation Professor of Oncology since 2006. In 2000, he was a visiting professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Hokkaido University, the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Tokyo, and Ochanomizu University. He received the title of Distinguished Chair Professor at National Taiwan University in 2016. He has been maintaining a close collaboration with the Centre for Translational Medicine at Semmelweis University since 2006, where he is currently appointed as research professor.

His scientific activity began with the discovery of lysophospholipid mediators and later expanded into drug development. Among his most significant achievements are the development of radioprotective compounds and research on immunomodulators that enhance tumour immunity. His most recent accomplishments include a tooth regeneration method based on activating dental stem cells, opening a new approach to treating tooth decay.

In recognition of his work in innovation, he received the Otto & Kathleen Wheeley Award from the University of Tennessee and the Nagayoshi Award in Japan for his contributions to drug development. He was also honoured with the Imre Mikó Award by the Transylvanian Museum Society in Cluj-Napoca. He was elected as an external member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2004 and served for eight years on its Presidential Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the European Academy of Arts, Letters and Sciences. As Chair of the Board of the Hungarian-American Academics Foundation, he supports the participation of Hungarian students at academic conferences in the United States. In 2023, he received the Gábor Dénes Award, and in 2025, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences honoured him with its highest distinction available to external members, the János Arany Lifetime Achievement Award.

Professor Gábor Tigyi emphasised in his speech that the diploma awarded to the graduates also belongs to their parents, whose hard work, care, attention and sense of responsibility made it possible for them to reach this milestone. He also shared several fond personal memories connected to the university, recalling that he met his wife within these very walls 46 years ago.

“Although I am not a physician myself, without the knowledge and mindset I gained here, I could never have become an internationally recognised researcher,” he added. “What I can say with certainty is that scientific thinking plays a key role in everyday patient care.”

He also spoke about the rapid advances being made in uncovering the scientific foundations of personalised medicine and the importance of precision medicine, emphasizing that keeping pace with these developments requires continuous learning and self-improvement, to which the university will continue to serve as an excellent base, with its doors always remaining open to its graduates.

One of the most important messages he said was: “Always try to see yourselves through the eyes of your patients!” In his view, the essence of medicine lies in humanity, empathy and compassion—qualities that no computer programme can ever truly replicate.

Following Professor Gábor Tigyi’s speech, the graduates took the physicians’ oath before approaching Dean Miklós Nyitrai, who, on behalf of the Medical School’s community of doctors, formally inaugurated them as doctors with a handshake. Graduates with summa cum laude honours also received the Elizabeth Ring.

At the end of the ceremony, Dr. Dorka Marton delivered a speech on behalf of the freshly inaugurated doctors.

This year, the School also announced the award established in memory of Dr. Gyula Mestyán, professor of paediatrics, for students with outstanding TDK achievements. Based on the decision of the Undergraduate Research Committee, the award was presented to Dr. Marcell Schmidt, who also received a certificate in recognition of his exceptional work as demonstrator over several years, along with Dr. Kíra Regina Patai.

Speaking on behalf of the freshly inaugurated graduates, Dr. Martin Grim addressed the teachers and the graduates’ families.

“It is an incredible feeling to look around and see the joy, the relief, the tears of happiness in your eyes, and the pride on the faces of our families—a pride that belongs just as much to them as it does to us. We can finally believe that we are here, we made it, we became doctors,” he said.

He recalled that they were the class that began their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside the many challenges they faced, he noted that this period also taught them resilience and how to cope with uncertainty. Many of them contributed to the fight against the pandemic while striving to meet the demands of their university studies. Beyond the hectic pace of the past few years, he also reminisced about the memorable experiences they had shared together, including the Medical Cup tournaments, wine tours, Medical Thursdays, and beer pong competitions.

“This community has proved time and again that even the most difficult times are easier to overcome together. Over the past few years, Pécs has become far more than simply a university city to us. It has left a lasting mark on our lives and will always remain our home. Here we found friendships and love, experienced both failures and successes, and this shared journey will forever connect us, wherever our careers may take us,” he said, expressing his gratitude to their teachers, families, and friends for standing by them every step of the way.

The graduation ceremony for students completing the English- and German-language programmes followed a similar format, beginning at 2 p.m. The graduates were welcomed in English by Professor Ferenc Gallyas, Head of the English Programme Committee, and in German by Professor Péter Than, Chair of the German Programme Committee, then Professor Gábor Tigyi delivered his motivational speech. Following the conferral of degrees, Dr. Nada Omair and Dr. Yannick Wilhelms expressed their gratitude in English and in German, respectively.

The Dr. Gyula Mestyán Award was presented to Dr. Kazushi Ogasawara, while Dr. Lia Gläsel and Dr. Joori Park received certificates in recognition of their outstanding work as demonstrators.

At the end of the ceremony, the freshly inaugurated doctors were represented by Dr. Ahmad Al Debsi and Dr. Shaya Irandoust, who delivered their speeches in English, and Dr. Selin Koyutürk, who addressed the audience in German, expressing their gratitude to their teachers and families.

The recordings of the graduation ceremonies are available below.

Hungarian Program:

English and German Program:

Galleries:

Photos:

Lajos Kalmár

Dávid Verébi