In the middle of June, a group of Masaryk University alumni came back to Brno. More than thirty graduates of English-language degree programmes in Dentistry and General Medicine visited the Czech Republic at the invitation of the MU Faculty of Medicine, which brought them to the Barceló Brno Palace for the first reunion of alumni of English-language medical programmes.
Most of the doctors came to Brno from abroad, notably the UK, where they work or are completing further studies in medicine. But a few of them didn’t have so far to come to see their fellows. Olusegun Babajide Adedoku from Nigeria, for instance, has stayed in Brno and works at the University Hospital.
“It was Brno, which is such a marvellous place, that made me stay in the Czech Republic. I am very happy I chose to study at Masaryk University. Without the university I wouldn´t be where I am,” Adekoun says.
His fellow alumnus Samuel Okereke, who works in the UK, agrees: “I am very proud of my alma mater. Without Masaryk University I would never have become a doctor. I am really grateful to the university for the chance I got. Now I have a job I always wanted to do.”
The idea of the reunion came from Helena Melicharová, head of the International Office at the Faculty of Medicine, and her colleagues. “We last saw our alumni quite a long time ago, so we were delighted to welcome them back to Brno,” she said. “We are really proud of the work they do all around the world in such good positions, and we greatly appreciate the fact that they found time to visit Brno again.” Melicharová adds that many of the alumni were thrilled by the new face of the University Campus and Brno in general.
“Faculty alumni are like my children. I know all of them. During their studies we discuss different problems or they just come to see us and have a chat. I'm still in touch with some of them. I hope we will organize alumni reunions more often," the head of the International Office goes on to say.
When Slovak students are not taken into account, there are more foreign students at the Faculty of Medicine than any other school of Masaryk University. Applicants can choose from three English-language programmes: General Medicine, Dentistry and Physiotherapy.