In the spring of 1996, 15 students from the Faculty of Medicine and 9 students from the Faculty of Pharmacy were handed their diplomas by the then Rector, Prof. Habil. Dr Vilius Grabauskas. This remarkable 30th anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on those memorable days and on the arrival of international students at the University as well as further professional lives of the Lebanese LSMU alumni.

The first international students from Lebanon arrived at LSMU in November 1990. This was an entirely new and unusual development not only for LSMU, then known as the Kaunas Medical Academy, but also for the city of Kaunas itself. During the Soviet occupation, Kaunas was regarded as a rather insular city. Foreign visitors were rare and usually arrived only as part of organised tourist groups. The idea of international students studying in Lithuania would have seemed unimaginable.

The first agreement was signed on 12 October 1990 by Professor Rimvydas Stasys Stropus, then Vice-Rector for Studies, signed a contract with Geabrel Geara, the Lebanese Consul in Moscow. Although the agreement was formally concluded with the Lebanese Consulate in Moscow, its preamble referred to the private company B.P. TRA S.A.R.L., which had been authorised to facilitate the students’ arrival in Kaunas.

On 19 December 1990, the then Rector, Professor Antanas Praškevičius, signed a second agreement with another Lebanese private company, MIDLINE. Under this agreement, Lebanese students would be admitted from the 1991–1992 academic year onwards.

These two agreements are now part of the University’s history. They opened a new chapter in its development and contributed significantly to its international recognition and reputation.

Shortly after the first agreement was signed, 21 students arrived, catching the departments of the Kaunas Medical Academy somewhat by surprise.

Although the University had committed itself to delivering programmes in English, the departments and the library lacked textbooks in English, and only a small number of lecturers possessed a strong command of English. Those teaching first-year students had virtually no time to prepare for the new challenge.

The students themselves also differed from what staff had previously encountered. They were pro-active, assertive, confident and outspoken.

There had been no previous experience of organising international studies programmes in Lithuania. The University sought to act in its own best interests, protect its reputation and rely on sound judgement. The initiative was highly innovative for its time, and for many years LSMU has remained the clear leader in international medical education within the Baltic region.

In 1990 there were no international flights to Lithuania. The first students would typically fly to Minsk and then travel by train or coach to Vilnius or Kaunas. They would receive their visas at the Lithuanian border. The very first students even arrived with Soviet Union visas.

Travel logistics were not the only challenge. It gradually became clear that LSMU was not included on many internationally recognised lists of accredited universities and study programmes. Institutions from most Soviet republics were listed, but not those from the Baltic States.

This created a significant obstacle to attracting students from a wider range of countries and caused understandable concern among students.

Fortunately, Lebanon belonged to a group of countries that required foreign-trained doctors and pharmacists to pass a professional examination known as a colloquium. Graduates were eligible to sit the examination if their university appeared in the World Health Organization’s World Directory of Medical Schools. In Lebanon, therefore, the issue of formal recognition was resolved in LSMU’s favour.

The examination had a reputation for being extremely difficult to pass at the first attempt. Yet LSMU graduates achieved remarkable success, with the overwhelming majority passing on their first sitting. It was a tremendous achievement for the students, the University and its academic staff.

Lecturers who were able to teach equally effectively in both Lithuanian and English were a genuine intellectual asset. They worked with great dedication while upholding the traditions and academic culture of the University.

Where are the first international alumni who received their diplomas from their Lithuanian Alma Mater 30 years ago? Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this story is that all 15 medical graduates were traced, despite the passage of three decades, allowing the University to learn about their professional careers. Three graduates chose obstetrics and gynaecology and completed their residency training in Kaunas. Badri Al-Aawar and Habib Barakat now work in Lebanon. Habib Barakat’s son studied medicine at LSMU and graduated in 2024. George Haroun worked in Lebanon for a period and now practises in the United Kingdom.

Elia Abdel Massih and Monique Zhgeib became paediatricians and work in Lebanon. Roland Moufarrege is an endocrinologist, while Johny Ibrahim specialises in sports medicine and rehabilitation in Beirut. Tony Nassar pursued a career in plastic and reconstructive surgery and now works internationally in Beirut, Dubai and Oman. He has even earned a reputation as a “doctor to celebrities”.

Ziad El Ngheioui is a radiologist at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre. Bernard Kfoury holds dual specialisations in internal medicine and forensic medicine. Ayoub Elias and Natali Mehawej practise as general practitioners.

Hani Tawk works in Australia. After obtaining a doctoral degree and specialist qualification in infectious diseases from the University of Sydney, he now works in a university hospital, teaches students and has authored scientific publications.

Zahi Sinarahme is an abdominal surgeon at Nantes University Hospital in France. His eldest son also graduated from LSMU in 2022.

Fady Tohme has been a licensed family physician in the United States since 2004 and currently works at Meritus Health Hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The same year, 1996, was also marked by the graduation of nine Lebanese students who had entered the Faculty of Pharmacy in 1991. All 9 continue to work in the profession: 7 in Lebanon and 2 in France. Mohamad Chamsin has owned a pharmacy bearing his name since 1996 and represents or manages several pharmaceutical companies. Pascal Hadathy continues the family business, running and expanding his father’s pharmacy. Nawfal Nawfal and Ziad Bassile also own private pharmacies.

Rima Zoughaib manages a pharmaceutical company, while her twin sister Abir Zoughaib runs a pharmacy. Rawya El Ayoubi works with non-governmental organisations in Lebanon. Sana Shouayb and Jean Hindi live and work in France.

The first student who had begun his studies in English also graduated in the year 1996. Bassam Seryani arrived with the first group of students in 1990 and initially joined the Faculty of Medicine. Within a year he had mastered Lithuanian, transferred to a Lithuanian-language group and graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry in 1995. At the time, the early stages of the Medicine and Dentistry programmes were sufficiently similar to allow such a transfer without any loss of study time.

Reading patients’ testimonials about the former students and learning about their achievements is indeed rewarding. It is particularly uplifting to see that they remained committed to healthcare, pursued a wide variety of specialisations, and built careers not only in Lebanon but across the world. So many success stories. So many occasions to remember. So many opportunities to remember how it all began.

2,364 international students, including 368 Lebanese graduates (15.6%) graduated from LSMU to date. The first Lebanese students, who arrived from a country affected by war, deserve special recognition. Most were undeterred by uncertainty and concerns about the recognition of their qualifications. They actively supported Lithuania during the events of January 1991 in Vilnius, endured the hardships of the blockade period and became ambassadors for Lithuania and LSMU around the world.

Prof. Habil. Dr Angelija Valančiūtė, Professor Emerita of LSMU and Vice-President of the LSMU Alumni Association

The post Thirty Years Since the First International Students Graduated from LSMU appeared first on LSMU.

Dr Rima Balanaškienė has been open about her ambition to help Lithuania and the region unleash their potential in life sciences and bring innovations to the global level.

The post Board Member of the LSMU Alumni Association Appointed as Ambassador of the European Innovation Council appeared first on LSMU.

Composition of the New Board

The following members were elected to the Board of the LSMU Alumni Association during the general meeting:

• Prof. Habil. Dr Ramunė Kalėdienė
• Prof. Habil. Dr Daiva Rastenytė
• Prof. Dr Mindaugas Malakauskas
• Prof. Dr. Ingrida Janulevičienė
• Prof. dr. Algimantas Tamelis
• Emerita Prof. Habil. Dr Angelija Valančiūtė
• Prof. Dr Audrius Sveikata
• Dr Rima Balanaškienė
• Vytenis Simenas
• Sandra Butkienė
• Aidas Valiukevičius
• Eglė Dieninytė

Composition of the Supervisory Committee

Members of the Supervisory Committee of the renewed Association:

• Prof. Dr Leonas Valius
• Dr Daiva Zagurskienė
• Prof. Valdas Jakštas

Strategic Goals and Future Outlook

The first decisions of the new Board focused on strengthening governance within the Association – new Vice Presidents were appointed: Prof. Habil. Dr Angelija Valančiūtė and Vytenis Simenas. Additionally, the organisation’s activity strategy 2025–2029 was presented. Its main goal is to encourage the active and purposeful involvement of alumni in the University life, and to strengthen connections between current students and the alumni.

The LSMU Alumni Association undoubtedly aims to become an essential link between past and present students, to encourage the sharing of professional experience and knowledge, and to enhance the University’s prestige both in Lithuania and internationally. A key area of the Association’s activity will be cooperation with business and government institutions, providing financial and other forms of support to LSMU students and researchers.

The LSMU Alumni Association wishes the new leadership every success and invites all alumni to actively contribute to the organisation’s activities!

LSMU Alumni Association doubtlessly seeks to become an important connection between the former and current students, encourage the sharing of professional expertise and knowledge, and continue enhancing the University’s prestige both in Lithuania and internationally. A key area of the Association’s activity is the cooperation with business and government institutions, providing financial and other forms of support to LSMU students and researchers.

The LSMU Alumni Association wishes the new leadership every success and invites all alumni to actively contribute to the organisation’s activities!

The post Renewed LSMU Alumni Association: a New Phase of Activity appeared first on LSMU.

“We are the patient’s guardians throughout their journey in the operating room,” says Marius Rimaitis, a anaesthesiologist reanimatologist at Kaunas Clinics (Kauno Klinikos) of the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU).

Having “inherited” his interest in anaesthesiology and reanimatology from his father and graduated from LSMU, the doctor is more than a practitioner – he his engaged in academic work sharing his expertise with LSMU students.

“Working at a university hospital provides endless challenges for an anaesthesiologist reanimatologist. Patients with the most complex pathologies are brought here, and their treatment requires immediate response, agile clinical thinking, and the ability to make unconventional decisions.

The hardest part is realising that, despite your best efforts, the patient’s prognosis is poor. On the other hand, the excitement of helping to save a person’s health or life helps to forget all the difficulties,” he says.

Knowledge drives the motivation to grow

Growing up in Kaunas, in a family of doctors, M. Rimaitis admired the meaningful and noble work of his parents from childhood. He was doing well at school and knew well in advance that he would choose a medical profession.

“I wasn’t too naïve – even before my university studies I had witnessed others making it on the challenging path to becoming a doctor, but my desire to do the work that makes a difference was stronger. The choice to study at LSMU was very well thought through and clear, and I have never doubted my decision,” said M. Rimaitis.

Although not easy, the medical studies were comprehensive and of high quality. The most impressive aspect was the alignment between fundamental sciences and clinical disciplines. It was a pleasure to study alongside highly motivated students under the guidance of highly qualified teachers.

Upon graduation, M. Rimaitis chose an anaesthesiology-reanimatology residency, after which he started working as an anaesthesiologist-reanimation physician at Kaunas Clinics almost ten years ago.

“I inherited my interest in anaesthesiology-reanimatology from my dad. Seeing how much he loved the job, I expected it to be a very interesting specialty, and I was right. My dad remains my main pillar on this challenging career path,” he smiled.

Along with knowledge and skills, LSMU graduates acquire another important component: the desire to continuously improve, learn, seek new challenges, and find new paths for professional growth.

In 2016–2021, M. Rimaitis also took a turn towards the scientific path. Having completed the LSMU doctoral programme, he defended his PhD thesis and joined the academic community of LSMU, teaching LSMU students, resident doctors, and other healthcare professionals.

“Working with intelligent and ambitious young people is one of the greatest professional challenges and joys. I am very happy to be able share my experience, knowledge, and skills. It is a fantastic push forward, giving me motivation to continue developing and the sense of completeness on the difficult professional path,” said the doctor, who is a lecturer at the Clinical Department of Anaesthesiology at the LSMU Faculty of Medicine.

No such thing as a small surgery

What is the daily routine of an anaesthesiologist?

“After the doctors’ meeting in the morning where we discuss the pending work with our supervisors and colleagues, we head to the operating rooms to meet our patients.

I always try to greet them with a smile and good mood, because I know how worried and scared they are. Then, having prepared thoroughly, we carry out all the procedures necessary not only to induce anaesthesia, but also to ensure the patient’s safety and vital signs and to maintain them throughout the operation.

It is a general misconception that the anaesthesiologist only administers a certain combination of drugs. We are members of a large multidisciplinary team working in the operating room, monitoring every subtle change in the patient’s vital signs, ready to take the necessary steps to ensure the proper functioning of the patient’s body systems, and to help preserve life during the most complex surgical interventions.

In most cases, the anaesthesiologist is the last person the patient sees before the surgery starts, and the very first person they see after it is over. This is because we are the patient’s guardians throughout their journey in the operating room,” the doctor said.

According to Dr. M. Rimaičius, there is no such thing as a “small” surgery or anaesthetics, as all interventions in the human body are associated with certain risk, and I have witnessed this many times. Special care is needed during any surgery, as unexpected fluctuations in the patient’s vital functions are common and the anaesthesiologist’s quick and professional reaction is important to deal with them.

M. Rimaičius’ clinical work largely takes place in the neurosurgery operating rooms. According to the doctor, this is an extremely interesting field that requires particular diligence and concentration not only of the surgical team, but also of the anaesthesiology team.

The anaesthesiologist is also a member of the liver transplant anaesthesiology team. Anaesthesia during liver transplantation is a particular challenge for an anaesthesiologist, as most patients are in an extremely serious condition before the surgery, and the surgery scope, duration, and risk of complications are significant.

“The job of an anaesthesiologist is anything but boring. It requires not only a very high level of professionalism, but also empathy, love, and compassion for the human being. Unfortunately, not everyone manages to balance between these two components. You need to not only help the patient, but also take care your own psycho-emotional well-being,” the doctor has noted.

Physically active leisure activities help the doctor to relax after a busy working day: he is a good swimmer and is currently improving his roller-skating skills. He likes to spend his quieter days reading books, and his biggest holiday passion is road trips with his family. Travelling to new places, he says, helps him to see his own and other people’s lives from a different angle.

When asked about the prospects for his profession, the doctor noted that the future of medicine is linked to technological advances, the integration of artificial intelligence, and improvements in human life preservation and health.

“At the same time, we need to realise that advances in technology, new tools, and drugs not only empower us, but also carry a huge responsibility to use this power in the best possible way, to the greatest possible benefit for people,” stressed anaesthesiologist-reanimatologist, Dr. M. Rimaitis.

Why Study at LSMU?

• Global recognition of the study programme Medicine: accredited according to the WFME standards.
• LSMU offers the unique selection of 8 study programmes taught using a unique integrated problem-based learning method, with studies taking place in cycles (modules).
• The study programme Medicine is renowned for its advanced teaching methods and has been accredited by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education for the maximum period.
• Knowledge and practical experience are shared by leading experts, practitioners, and researchers in various fields.
• LSMU helps develop strong teamwork skills.
• Hybrid classrooms, medical and veterinary simulation centres.
• The LSMU library is very student-friendly and open 24 hours a day.
• Many hours of practice at Kaunas Clinics (Kauno Klinikos), LSMU Pharmacy, the University’s small and large animal clinics, veterinary clinics, teaching laboratories, and advanced business companies.
• Additional internship opportunities are available starting with the 1^st year.
• Modern simulation-based training methods, which have been developed to a very high degree, are used to prepare safely for professional activities. Professional careers can be developed in any direction you want, be it research, practice or business.
• There are around 70 sub-specialisations to choose from after graduating in Medicine, and pharmacy graduates are not only pharmacists but also researchers and work in pharmaceutical manufacturing companies.
• LSMU is one of the most international universities in Lithuania, with a multicultural learning environment and the best universities in Europe for internship and fellowship.
• Outstanding employment opportunities as the LSMU graduates are highly sought after on the labour market: over 80% of BSc and over 90% of MSc graduates are employed in their first year.

The post Anaesthesiologists Reanimatologists: We are Patient’s Guardians appeared first on LSMU.

On 28 June, the years of hard work by the students of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) paid off as they were awarded their graduation diplomas during the solemn meeting of the LSMU Senate.

On behalf of the LSMU alumni, the congratulatory speech was delivered by Kasparas Briedis, a distinguished graduate of the University, Doctor of Medicine and a lecturer, cardiologist at Kaunas Clinics, a frequent consultant and international training instructor, an active scientist and researcher.

“On your professional career path, do not trap yourself within the constraints that we usually invent for ourselves. Once you break out of them, you’ll discover a vast array of opportunities ahead of you”, said the LSMU alumnus in his address to the graduates.

We sincerely thank Dr. K. Briedis for his inspiring words to the graduates and for his involvement in LSMU alumni activities.

Once again, we would like to congratulate the students, wish them all the best in their future careers, and invite them to join the LSMU alumni community.

For more information on LSMU alumni activities, please click here.
The recording of the graduation ceremony can be viewed here.

The post Congratulations from the LSMU alumni to the graduates on their graduation appeared first on LSMU.

LSMU alumni gave the community a two-day interactive workshop “The Art of Living in a Dynamic Modern Life”. The workshop covered eight different areas of the art of living.

“LSMU alumni are a large and important part of the University. The alumni do not break the connection with the University when they graduate, but the relationship with the organisation changes. The alumni become our partners, advisors, mentors of the younger generation of students, they share their expertise, get involved in various projects and initiatives. This meaningful collaboration contributes to the strategic goals of the University”, said the event organiser.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our alumni who have donated their time and knowledge to our University community: Dr. Birutė Bartkevičiūtė, Laura Digrytė-Šertvytienė, Goda Martinkutė, Ugnė Nedzinskaitė, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gintarė Zakarienė, Robertas Jakimonis, Paulius Gradeckas, Assoc. Prof. Tomas Bukauskas, and Inga Matulytė.

The post LSMU Alumni Gave a Workshop “The Art of Living in a Dynamic Modern Life” to the Community appeared first on LSMU.