Visit in Israel Important for both University and Alumni Community

In mid-January, the LSMU delegation went to one of the largest Israeli cities, Tel Aviv, on a business trip. During the visit, the University was represented by the dean of LSMU International Relations and Study Centre, Prof. Žilvinas Padaiga; head of the Department of Histology and Embryology, Prof. Angelija Valančiūtė; head of the Department of International Studies, Dr. Laura Sapranavičiūtė-Zabazlajeva; and international programme coordinator, Mrs. Evelina Mačiulskienė.

One of the key objectives of the business trip was to take part in the fair of medical studies organized by the centre ‘Medical Doctor International Studies’ in Israel. Prof. Ž. Padaiga made the presentation about the studies at LSMU and answered thoroughly to the raised questions. The Israeli alumni of LSMU Dudu Jagudaev and Natali Visdino together with the mother of the medical student, Mrs. Larisa Chorny, shared their knowledge and memories about studies at LSMU with pleasure.

Several important meetings were held during the trip. First of all, the delegation met the ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania, Edminas Bagdonas. The purpose of the meeting was to activate the inter-institutional cooperation, to renew and maintain relations with the University’s graduates who live in Israel, and to strengthen the University’s image in Israel. Moreover, the details of the first meeting of all the Israeli graduates of Kaunas Academy of Medicine, Kaunas Institute of Medicine, Kaunas University of Medicine, Academy of Veterinary, and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences that will be organized in Israel on 7 April 2016 were discussed. The ambassador expressed his support and promised the real help with organization of the event.

Another important meeting was held in the world-famous Schneider Medical Clinic of Children. There the LSMU representatives were welcomed with exceptional warmth by the manager, Prof. Josephu Pressu, who had also graduated from LSMU (at that time Kaunas Institute of Medicine). During the meeting, the professor shared his thoughts, how to contact more widely the LSMU alumni in Israel and to invite them to the event for alumni. Besides, the possibilities to sign agreements on students’ traineeships in Israel’s hospitals were discussed.

One of the last purposes of the visit in Tel Aviv was to conduct the entrance exam for those who want to study at LSMU. Nine young people managed to receive the necessary score. Thus already in this September seven of them will come to study medicine, and two of them are going to study dentistry.

Indrė Levickytė