On August 30, 2019, Almazov Centre held a Matriculation ceremony to accept its second enrollment of 120 students.
Last year, the research institution for the first time in the history of Russia launched the pilot higher education programme in General Medicine following the Presidential Order. The goal of this project is to train achievement-oriented doctors at a national-level research institution with advanced medical technologies and facilities and highly qualified personnel.
The festive ceremony featured welcome speeches by Valentina Matvienko, Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council and the Board of Trustees at Almazov Centre, Alexander Gutsan, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District, Vyacheslav Makarov, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly and Evgeny Shlyakhto, Director General of Almazov Centre.
Valentina Matvienko highlighted that Almazov Centre is a unique institution not only by Russian standards, but also on a global level, combining fundamental applied research in major areas of medicine, education and high-tech medical care.
“Almazov Centre has a number of breakthrough scientific developments and medical advances. Exceptional diagnostic and treatment facilities, innovative technologies, a highly qualified and extensive talent pool are the keystone for providing true medical professionals of the 21st century for the Russian medicine,” noted Valentina Matvienko.
Alexander Gutsan, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District cordially congratulated the students and presented a commemorative award to the Director General of the Centre.
In his welcome speech to the freshmen, Vyacheslav Makarov, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, noted that they would receive knowledge using the best practices and based on the great traditions of medicine.
Evgeny Shlyakhto, Director General of Almazov Centre and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, sincerely thanked the honoured guests for their kind words and highlighted that this educational project in the research institution was only possible with the support of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova and the St. Petersburg administration.
The white coat ceremony was a remarkable moment that symbolized purity of purpose and professionalism as well as a fresh start for the medical profession. The students solemnly took an oath of allegiance to Almazov Centre and handed over a special time capsule to Elena Parmon, Director of the Medical Education Institute. The time capsule containing freshmen’s responses to questions for future doctors will be opened in 6 years, prior to the graduation ceremony, to provide a reflection on what they have learnt.
A total of 120 students from 29 Russian regions and Saint Petersburg were matriculated at the ceremony. Those are the best out of 903 applicants.
For reference:
The specialist training programme in general medicine implies interdisciplinary interaction with the leading medical universities and partners of the Translational Medicine Cluster: Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI), Peter the Great Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University (in mathematics, physics and biophysics), Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health (in physical education, sports and health safety), Saint Petersburg State Chemical-Pharmaceutical Academy (in chemistry and biochemistry). Also, the Centre has agreements on practical training for the students with the leading health care facilities and schools of the city.