Rector
Rimantas Benetis – academician, professor, Doctor of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine), Rector of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, long-standing Head of Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, full member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, foreign member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, President of the Lithuanian University Rectors’ Conference, Honorary Professor of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2001, professor Benetis led the team of cardiac surgeons that performed the first heart transplant in Kaunas. In 2007, he led the team that performed the first lung and combined heart-lung transplant in the Baltic State.
He has been awarded the Lithuanian state decoration – the Cross of the Officer of the Order for Merits to Lithuania, the Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, and the First Class Santaka Badge of Honour.
Professor is a member of the Lithuanian Society of Thoracic and Heart Surgeons, member of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, and member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Prof. Rimantas Benetis was awarded the highest category in cardiac surgery by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania.
Professor Rimantas Benetis was born on 3 July 1957 in Noriškiai village. From 1963 to 1966, he attended Plungė primary school, from 1966 to 1974 – Plungė 3rd secondary school, and in 1974 to 1980 – the Faculty of Medicine of Kaunas Medical Institute.
- 1980–1981 – surgical internship at the Klinikos under Kaunas Medical Institute of the Ministry of Health (now the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos)
- 1981–1984 – surgeon and trauma specialist at Ukmergė District Hospital
- 09/1984 – present – cardiac surgeon at the Klinikos under Kaunas Medical Institute of the Ministry of Health (now the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos
- 1988 – postgraduate course in cardiac surgery at the Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, Moscow (3.5 months)
- 1989 – postgraduate course in cardiac surgery at the Centre of Cardiac Surgery of Vilnius University Hospital (3.5 months)
- 1990–1991 – cardiac surgeon at the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery of Odense University Hospital (Denmark) (7 months)
- 1991–1992 – cardiac surgeon at the Cardiac Centre of Òrhus University Skejby Hospital (Denmark) (7 months)
- 1992–1993 – cardiac surgeon at the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery of Òlborg Hospital (Denmark) (18 months)
- 1993–1994 – internship at the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery of Leuven University St. Luc Hospital (Belgium) (11 months)
- 1994 – cardiac surgeon at the Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery of Lund University (Sweden) (7 months)
- 01/1994 – present – Head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery (now the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery) of Kaunas Medical Academy (now the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences) and Kaunas Academic Clinics (now Kauno Klinikos of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences)
- 04/1996–08/2004 – senior research associate at the Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory of the Biomedical Research Institute (BMTI) (senior researcher since 20 November 2000)
- 1997–1998 – internship at the Cardiac Surgery Clinic of London Royal Brompton & Harefield (United Kingdom) (6 months)
- 1998–2000 – consultant surgeon at Umeå Regional Hospital (Sweden) (24 months)
- 09/2004–09/2020 – Director of the Institute of Cardiology at Kaunas Medical University (now the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences)
- 2005 – present – member of the Senate of Kaunas Medical University (now the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences)
- 12/2015–07/2020 – member of the Council of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
- 09/2016–23/09/2020 – Chairperson of the Senate of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
- From 04/11/2020 – Rector of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Rimantas Benetis defended his doctorate in 1990, was awarded the titles of associate professor in 1995, and professor in 2005 respectively.
He has published more than 500 scientific publications, delivered presentations at international conferences and congresses as well as expert specialist training sessions in the USA, india, Germany, Belgium, France, England, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Poland.
Professor consults and treats cardiovascular patients, delivers lectures to students and medical residents, conducts tutorials, seminars, and practical training. Since 1996, he has supervised 23 doctoral students and consulted 10 doctoral students. From 2010 to 2020, he participated as a principal investigator in eight international biomedical clinical trials.
Leisure activities: hunting.
Family: married, wife Gražina – an ophthalmologist, son Pranas – an engineer, son Rimantas – an IT specialist, daughter Rūta – an architect.
Languages: Lithuanian, English, Russian, French, Danish, and Swedish.