Graduation of the largest cohort of international students at UNN Institute of Clinical Medicine

On August 5, Lobachevsky University hosted the largest-ever graduation ceremony for international students from its Institute of Clinical Medicine (ICM). On this occasion, 173 graduates pledged the Doctor’s Oath and were awarded their higher education diplomas.Among them were 133 university’s first graduates in the field of General Medicine and 40 graduates in the field of Dentistry who completed their studies in English-taught programmes. Four of them were awarded diplomas with honours.

This year, graduates from 11 countries finished their studies in English-taught programmes. They came from Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Morocco, and other countries. Their training included mandatory Russian language learning as part of the curriculum.

In his congratulatory remarks to the former students, Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University, emphasised that this year’s graduation from the Institute of Clinical Medicine is a significant event for UNN.

"This is the first time our university has seen such a large-scale graduation of international medical students. Students, faculty, and university leadership have all worked hard to make this happen. We can see that Russian education is valued overseas, that we receive recommendations and are chosen by many. Our students gained valuable  hands-on experience and practical skills during internships at healthcare facilities in Nizhny Novgorod and the surrounding region. Some have already started working, while others intend to continue their education. It is also very important that, as part of the English-language programme, our students learned Russian, explored our culture and traditions, and actively participated in creative endeavours," Oleg Trofimov noted.

"To ensure that graduates of the English-taught programmes at ICM are in demand not just in their home countries but globally, we had to go through a long journey. We adapted our curricula in General Medicine and Dentistry to meet the healthcare needs of countries that most of our students come from, such as Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, and Lebanon. This was not an easy process, and there were challenges along the way, but it was worth it. We have achieved international accreditation, which means that our graduates will be able to work in various countries worldwide.Many students worked in local medical facilities as mid-level healthcare staff during their studies and received positive feedback. Some will stay with us to pursue residency programmes, which are taught in Russian, so the language skills they have acquired over the years will certainly be useful to them," said Natalia Grigorieva, Director of the UNN Institute of Clinical Medicine.

Among this year’s graduates is Hareb Mohammad Lotfi from Lebanon. He finished his studies in the General Medicine programme with honours. The young man expressed his gratitude to the teachers for all the time they spent with him and his classmates. He intends to go back to his home country. His friend, Mahmoud Taha Nabil Abdelhakim from Egypt, also studied General Medicine and has already started working as as an ambulance paramedic.

"On this wonderful day, I would like to thank all the teachers and all the staff for every moment and for their overall contribution over all this time. I wish all the graduates good luck. The most important thing is to make the right decision and to know where to move on. As for me, I plan to continue my education in residency," the graduate shared.

"I am at a loss of words. I've been waiting for this moment for six years, and I clearly remember my first day at UNN.  My friends who were already studying at Lobachevsky University, but in other fields, advised me to apply. I have never regretted it. I plan to continue my studies in residency specialising in Anesthesiology and Resuscitation," shared Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelmobdey from Egypt.

The most touching moment of the ceremony was when Abdelaziz Abdelrahman Mohamed Abdelsalam, a graduate of the Dentistry programme, made a marriage proposal to his girlfriend.

Earlier, on June 24, diplomas were awarded to the first graduates of the Russian-taughtGeneral Medicine programme, and to the second graduating class of the Dentistry programme.

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.