Doctor of Pharmacy Inauguration

The members of the inaugural council, Dr. Zoltán Baráth, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Dr. Zoltán Kónya, Vice-Rector of the University of Szeged, Dr. Zsolt Szakonyi, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Dr. József Maléth, Dean of the Szent-Györgyi Albert Medical Faculty were seated at the main table.

In the first part of the ceremony, awards were presented. This year, the Discipuli pro Universitate award was presented to our graduating student András Juhász for his outstanding achievements in organising student self-activity and meeting academic requirements. In 2016, the Council of the Faculty of Pharmacy established the Faculty's Outstanding Students’ Research Supervisor Award, which this year was awarded to Dr. Rita Ambrus, Professor at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Regulatory Affairs, Faculty of Pharmacy, in recognition of her outstanding work in preparing students for the Students’ Research Conference.

The Council of the Faculty of Pharmacy also awarded Pro Facultate to József Arnold, former staff member of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, in recognition of his outstanding, conscientious and dedicated work of nearly two decades, on the occasion of his retirement. The Council of the Faculty of Pharmacy also awarded the Faculty Commemorative Medal to Veronika Németh, a Master Lecturer for her involvement in the planning and launching of the Herba Medica Study Competition organised by our Faculty.

The event continued with Leo Brouwer's A November Day, performed by Benedek Ágoston Tóth, a classical guitarist student at the Bartók Béla Faculty of Arts of the University of Szeged. Afterwards, András Juhász asked on behalf of the inductees for their conferral as Doctor of Pharmacy. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Zsolt Szakonyi, who proposed the ordination of 44 Hungarian and 4 English graduates. After the Deputy Rector accepted the proposal, the candidates swore an oath in Hungarian and in English. Afterwards, the Vice-Rector of the University of Szeged and the members of the University's Board of Inauguration welcomed the graduates as doctoral fellows by shaking hands and handing over their doctoral degrees.

The newly inaugurated pharmacists were welcomed by the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy. In his speech, he outlined the opportunities offered by a career as a pharmacist and encouraged the young colleagues to continuously expand their knowledge. On behalf of the inaugurated students, Dr. Dóra Barbara Lagzi bid farewell to the Faculty, the lecturers, the fellow students and the University of Szeged, recalling the moments of the student years, thanking the lecturers for their work, the support and love of parents and friends.

In the next part of the ceremony, doctoral degrees were awarded in international cooperation. Since 2008, the Faculty of Pharmacy has been in scientific cooperation with the Institute of Natural Products Research at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan. The collaboration also includes the joint supervision of PhD students from both institutions. Recently, a Taiwanese PhD student, Ching Chia Chang, completed her PhD studies partly at our Faculty and received her diploma.

The formal Council meeting continued with the presentation of awards and recognition. The award of the title of the Outstanding Teaching Pharmacies of the USZ, Faculty of Pharmacy was presented to three representatives. Dr. Judit Farkas, Chief Pharmacist of the Institute of Clinical Pharmacy of the Deszk Multidisciplinary Centre of the Szent-Györgyi Albert Clinical Centre of the University of Szeged, Dr. István Pál Krajcsovicz, Pharmacy Manager of the Domino Pharmacy in Hódmezővásárhely and Dr. Julianna Váradyné Kiss, Pharmacy Manager of the Penguin Pharmacy on Csongrádi Avenue in Szeged.

This year, the Stenszky Ernő Memorial Medal for the best pharmacy student in the final examination was awarded to Dr. András Juhász, based on a decision of the Board of Trustees. The best student of pharmacy from Békéscsaba or Békés County was Dr. Dóra Barbara Lagzi, who received the Béla Réthy Prize from Klára Aranyné Vékes, the representative of the Réthy family as the great-granddaughter of the late Béla Réthy. The Zsembery Prize for the best academic achievement of a second, third or fourth year pharmacy student in Bács-Kiskun County was awarded to Tekla Jáger, a third year student.

The ceremony ended with a performance of Tango en skai by Roland Dyens, and the newly qualified pharmacists thanked their families for helping them all the way to their degrees with a video of their childhood photos. The event ended with the traditional hat toss and cheers.

All the faculty and staff of the Faculty wish the 48 young pharmacists a successful career, much joy in their pharmacy profession and happiness in their personal lives.