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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of initiating teaching in full-time programs in English at PUMS, the Center for Medical Education in English planned a festive celebration for October 26-28, 2023, consisting of several major events: a teaching conference, a gala, workshops, guided tours, a festive student awards evening, and a series of smaller social events.

In October 1993, a group of 14 American students began studying medicine in English at our University as part of the first such initiative not only in Poznan, but also in Poland. This pioneering project was made possible, among others, thanks to the vision and persistent work of the then President - Prof. Antoni Pruszewicz. The program, initially offered in the North American 4-year model of education, was joined in subsequent years by a 6-year medical pathway, and later also by dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy programs.

During the 30 years, nearly 3,000 international students graduated from these programs, who then went on to pursue their medical careers on 5 continents. Most represented in this group were students from the US (787), Norway (558), Taiwan (510), Canada (435), and the UK (118).

The celebrations began on Thursday, October 26, with a tour of the campus for guests and graduates. We were especially happy to be rejoined by two special guests, who were in the very first two cohorts of the program: Dr. Jennifer Baker-Porazinski, who received the diploma number 0001 in 1997, and Prof. Michael Czekajlo, who graduated in 1998, and in subsequent years returned to Poznan as a Fulbright scholar to help develop the medical simulation program at PUMS.

All guests had the opportunity to tour the Main Library, dormitories and sports halls, teaching and research buildings, including the recently built Collegium Pharmaceuticum, as well as the impressive Medical Simulation Center.
The group also took a guided tour of Poznan, accompanied by a professional guide, walking and learning about the city's history from the oldest buildings on Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island), through Chwaliszewo, Kolegiacki Square and Old Market Square, to Liberty Square.

 

International Conference on Education in Medical Professions

An international conference on education in medical professions was held on October 27-28. The event became a platform for sharing knowledge and experience for distinguished speakers from both domestic and foreign institutions, as well as PUMS employees, students and alumni.

On the first day of the conference, participants had the opportunity to listen to lectures by experts in the field of medicine and medical education. Prof. Sylvia Heeneman from Maastricht University presented the topic of Programmatic Assessment - Stepping Stones of Theory, Implementation and Practice, and Dr. Marta Van Zanten from the FAIMER organization focused on issues related to medical school accreditation. Subsequent lectures dealt with topics such as changes in examinations offered by the US National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and the development of artificial intelligence in the field of medical education. Prof. Michael Czekajlo of the Veterans Affairs National Simulation Center and Prof. Łukasz Gąsiorowski of PUMS had an interesting discussion about the trends and needs related to teaching future doctors.

The lectures were followed by two engaging discussions, moderated by Prof. Heeneman and Boris Vilic, vice-chairman of the National Board of Medical Examiners, and Prof. Katarzyna Ziemnicka and Prof. Grzegorz Dworacki, on issues of evaluation in medical education and the accreditation processes of medical schools.

On the second day, October 28, distinguished speakers: Prof. Janusz Janczukowicz of the Medical University of Lodz and Jason De La Rosa of Kaplan discussed the need for changes in education and the adaptation of education content to meet the requirements of the new competencies of healthcare professionals. The lectures were followed by three panel discussions that addressed issues related to teaching foreign students, the challenges of learning in English, and the use of modern teaching methods and knowledge testing, such as AI and OSCE exams.

The event allowed participants to exchange experiences, and discussions on various challenges in medical education brought valuable insights and perspectives. The chair of the conference organizing committee was Prof. Adrianna Mostowska, vice-director of CMEE.

A recording of the conference is available on the University's English-language YouTube channel: part 1 and part 2.

 

Jubilee Gala

The culmination of the celebrations was the anniversary gala with the motto "We Are Family!" held on the evening of Friday, October 27. Graduates, students, university authorities and staff, and other distinguished guests and friends of PUMS gathered in PUMS Conference and Congress Center to take part in a nostalgic and artistic ceremony.

The event, conducted in both Polish and English by actors from Teatr Nowy in Poznan, and accompanied by an excellent musical ensemble led by Jakub Domanski, began with a song, and subsequent songs performed live were frequent interludes. President Andrzej Tykarski opened the ceremony, and congratulated the wonderful achievement, emphasized the positive impact of teaching in English on the University's operations, and thanked those who have especially contributed to the development of international programs.

The historical outline of the establishment and development of courses taught in English was presented by Prof. Wojciech Dyszkiewicz, Vice-Dean of Faculty of Medicine II in 1993-98, and Prof. Katarzyna Ziemnicka, former Director of the Center for Teaching in English. The unit's latest activities and future plans were summarized by the current Director, Assoc. Prof. Aleksandra Uruska.

The audience then had the pleasure of watching a video digest of famous movie quotes from the past 30 years, as well as a theatrical skit inspired by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The culmination of the gala was the presentation of "Wings for PUMS" statuettes - awards to individuals of particular merit for the development of the School's English language education. Heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees:
- Super Wings for PUMS: Prof. Grzegorz Dworacki,
- teachers and course coordinators: Prof. Maria Iskra, Prof. Aldona Wozniak, Prof. Marzena Dworacka, Prof. Andrzej Bręborowicz, Prof. Leszek Kubisz, Prof. Dariusz Iżycki, Prof. Anna Jankowska, Dr. Małgorzata Paul, Dr. Joanna Budna-Tukan, Dr. Liliana Celczyńska-Bajew, Dr. Beata Klincewicz, Dr. Marzena Wiśniewska, Dr. Andrzej Mińczykowski,
- additional support: Dr. Beata Buraczyńska-Andrzejewska, Monika Kupś, Joanna Zalewska, Prof. Michael Czekajlo, M.D. Piotr Garszczyński, Mirosław Jackowiak, Beata Matyszewska, Kamila Stiller, Monika Zabrzewska, Maciej Jadżyn, Katarzyna Żukowska, Sebastian Żurek,
- admission office: Jimmy Lin - Lin's International Education Management Group of Companies.

A touch of nostalgia was introduced with the presentation of video messages sent in from graduates now working in different countries around the world, recalling their time in Poznan with great fondness. The event ended with the premiere of a video encouraging people to study at PUMS.

A recording of the ceremony can be viewed on the University's English-language YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sLAIOexcNY.

 

Workshops

In order to offer our current students the opportunity to acquire new practical skills and network with their more experienced colleagues, the anniversary celebrations also included a series of workshops on medical skills, diagnostics, communication with patients, and specifics of working in healthcare systems of different countries.

The classes began with Dr. Jennifer Baker-Porazinski, a 1997 graduate of the first cohort of our international medical studies, currently working as a family physician in Massachusetts, USA, who introduced the attendees to the topic of prevention of chronic diseases from the perspective of lifestyle medicine. A seminar conducted by doctors-members of the Greater Poland Chamber of Physicians, Dr. Karol Lubarski and Dr. Mateusz Szulc, presented details of the process leading to obtaining a license to practice medicine in Poland.

The second day began with a workshop on point-of-care ultrasound and an introduction to the specifics of the work of an emergency physician in Ireland, led by specialists Dr. Andrew Ngaditono and Dr. Masa Petricevic from Dublin.Technical skills could also be honed during virtual autopsy classes using VR and AR equipment provided by Human Body Universe, as during the ultrasound workshop led by experts from the "Mocni na Starcie" foundation.

And finally, a series of workshops in our Medical Simulation Center:
- Introduction to Clinical Practice in North America - interactions in in- and outpatient scenarios were practiced with the help of standardized patients by a group of students under the guidance of doctors from the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Aleksandra Murawska-Baptista and Dr. Abhinav Singla,
- Fundamentals of Critical Care - scenarios from the critical care and diabetes specialties were led by Prof. Michael Czekajlo, Director of Medical Simulation at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Virginia and one of the main developers of the simulation program at PUMS, and Prof. Magdalena Bogun of Irving Medical Center at Columbia University.

Prof. Bogun also led an information session on applying for residency and fellowship programs in the United States, sharing her experience as a member of the selection committee for the specialty course at Columbia University. At the end, she also gave a seminar on the use of insulin pumps and blood glucose monitoring devices.

All activities were highly appreciated by the participants, with the added benefit of establishing long-lasting contacts between students and student organizations and PUMS alumni working abroad.

 

Pearl Gala - a festive evening of student awards

More than 450 members of the academic community and invited guests met on October 28 at the Andersia Hotel for an evening event called the Pearl Gala to celebrate the achievements of students of programs taught in English at PUMS in the 2022/2023 academic year. The event was organized by the Center for English Language Teaching in cooperation with the EPSU - English Programs' Student Union.

The evening began with a welcome word by CMEE Director, Assoc Prof. Aleksandra Uruska, and the President of the English Programs' Student Union, Moeez Tahir. This was followed by the presentation of awards for the past academic year in the following categories: excellent grades, research, and outstanding work for the benefit of the academic community. Students affiliated with EPSU additionally awarded selected administrative staff for their support and exemplary cooperation, as well as the most active student clubs.

Musically talented students were responsible for the artistic program: Shimonraj Gangadari opened with a vocal performance of a Frank Sinatra song, Daniel Namazi sang three songs with his own accompaniment on acoustic guitar and, finally, three more songs were performed by members of the EPSU Musicians Club led by Hiran Jaruyawongs on guitars and vocals.

After the official part, there was time for dinner and socializing, and followed by a dance party with music played by a professional DJ.

 

Thank you to everyone who made these last 30 years possible for us, and for joining us in celebrations!