Diplomas awarded to the first graduates in General Medicine
On June 24, the first graduates of the Institute of Clinical Medicine were awarded diplomas at Lobachevsky University. A total of 66 students, including 33 international students from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Syria, Egypt, Algeria, and Palestine who completed the Russian-taught programme in General Medicine, received their educational certificates in a solemn ceremony. Five graduates were awarded diplomas with honours.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University, addressed the students with a welcoming speech and congratulations.
"The Institute of Clinical Medicine is a young and rapidly developing unit of Lobachevsky University that makes a significant contribution to the advancement of healthcare in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Today is a special day for all of us—we take pride in the first graduation in the field of General Medicine and extend our best wishes to our students. Dear graduates! Some of you will soon begin your practical work, while others will continue their education to become specialists in a particular field. But what matters most is that you have all chosen a challenging yet noble mission: to safeguard people’s health. Ahead of you are difficult decisions, sleepless nights, and the profound gratitude in patients’ eyes. Remember, you are not alone. Behind you stands the university, which has provided you with knowledge, experience, and self–confidence. We are proud of each of you! And we are proud that we can contribute to the future of medicine. Keep learning, keep growing, and always remain human in the truest sense of the word. The world needs doctors with big hearts and sharp minds. I am confident that you have become just that," noted Oleg Trofimov.
The graduates were greeted and encouraged to work in the city’s clinics and hospitals by Tatyana Kovalenko, Deputy Minister of Health of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Leonid Streltsov, Deputy Head of the Nizhny Novgorod City Administration, and Irina Fomina, Chief Physician of Polyclinic No. 1 in Nizhny Novgorod's Prioksky District.
During the ceremonial event, the graduates put on their white coats and pledged the Russian Doctor’s Oath.
Natalia Grigorieva, Director of the UNN Institute of Clinical Medicine, emphasised that more than 50% of graduates already have medical experience.
"Many of these students are currently working in healthcare facilities in the city as mid-level medical staff. After receiving their diplomas, they will return to their hospitals and clinics as general practitioners. Some will choose to pursue residency training. No matter which path they take, they will retain the skills and knowledge acquired during their studies. Our primary goal is to train doctors for practical healthcare, combining fundamental and clinical sciences in line with modern standards and a patient-centered approach. We also aim to provide medical institutions in Nizhny Novgorod and other regions with new healthcare professionals," said Natalia Grigorieva.
The Clinical Medicine field of study was introduced at Lobachevsky University in 2019, when the General Medicine and Dentistry specialisations were launched. A year later, the Department of Clinical Medicine was opened within the Institute of Biology and Biomedicine, and in 2022 the UNN Institute of Clinical Medicine was established.
Alongside graduates of the General Medicine programme, 38 students from the second cohort of the Dentistry programme received their professional education certificates on that day. In total, 104 graduates—both Russian and international students studying under the Russian-language track—took to the stage to receive their higher education diplomas.
The graduation ceremony for students in the English-taught programme will be held at UNN in early August.
