Jessenius Faculty of Medicine
in Martin
Comenius University Bratislava

Ceremonial Opening of the 2024/2025 Academic Year

On Tuesday, September 24, the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, held the ceremonial opening of the 2024/2025 academic year in its Aula Magna. This marks the 56th year of independent operation for the Faculty of Medicine in Martin.


25. 09. 2024 13.39 hod.
By: JLF UK

A total of 1,750 students enrolled in medical and non-medical programs at JFMED CU for this academic year. As part of its commitment to admitting more medical students, 149 students were accepted into the first year of the Slovak-language General Medicine program, up from 118 in the previous year.

In July, the faculty celebrated its 55th anniversary of independence, which was also referenced by Dean Prof. Andrea Čalkovská, MD, DSc., in her opening speech. She noted, “We discovered a real treasure in our archives—a leather-bound commemorative book from the university dormitory, containing a handwritten account from the time the faculty was founded. It mentions the complexity of the process, but emphasizes that future generations should remember the good things. This is a message we aim to continue developing.”

The dean also highlighted several ongoing projects, including grants from the Recovery and Resilience Plan for top researchers. “We are currently awaiting a call for proposals from the Ministry of Education, which will allocate significant funds for simulation-based teaching. This summer, using our own resources, we renovated our simulation center, adding three new rooms to improve the quality of instruction. We plan to collaborate with University Hospital Martin to establish a simulation center within the hospital through this new funding,” added Prof. Čalkovská.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of academic commendations to students and commemorative medals to current and former staff members of the faculty.

Academic Commendations were awarded to:

  • Nikol Smilková, 2nd-year General Medicine student, for her participation in international events, organizing activities and clinical internships for international students, contributing to sports, charity, and volunteer events, and promoting the faculty.
  • Oliver Hoffej, 2nd-year General Medicine student, for his care and support of fellow students, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, fostering the faculty community, and representing the faculty abroad.
  • Ivan Okruhlica, 3rd-year General Medicine student, for his successful representation of the faculty in student scientific competitions.
  • Marek Laheye, 3rd-year General Medicine student, for outstanding academic performance in competitions and student scientific events, volunteer activities, and exemplary representation of the faculty.
  • Laura Fedorková, 4th-year General Medicine student, for organizing academic and social events, including the Hippocampus quiz events.
  • Nina Uhliariková, 4th-year General Medicine student, for organizing academic and social events and assisting with other activities.
  • Patrik Prístupný, 5th-year General Medicine student, for his role in representing the faculty in the Slovak Republic's Student Council and in the Education Support Fund Council.
  • Veronika Repiščáková, 5th-year General Medicine student, for organizing first aid courses for faculty students and school children, as well as co-organizing other student events.
  • Adela Bláhová, 5th-year General Medicine student, co-founder of the “Our Hearts Are Purple” project focused on premature babies, for organizing various volunteer awareness and charity events.
  • Vanesa Terenová, 5th-year General Medicine student, national coordinator for sexual and reproductive health, including HIV and AIDS, for organizing workshops and actively promoting and representing the faculty domestically and internationally.
  • Ján Haluška, 6th-year General Medicine student, for organizing student outreach events on first aid and promoting the faculty.
  • Marián Hodoň, 6th-year Dental Medicine student, for co-organizing volunteer, educational, and charity events, organizing World Oral Health Day, and promoting oral health and the faculty.
  • Beáta Králiková, 6th-year Dental Medicine student, for her role as local coordinator for student mobility programs and representing the faculty at meetings of the European Dental Students’ Association.
  • Kristína Kleinová, 3rd-year Nursing student, for her active role in faculty governance and representing the faculty during open days.
  • Finn Wilke, 6th-year General Medicine student (English program), Erasmus program coordinator, for supporting English-language students, participating in scientific activities, and promoting and representing the faculty abroad.

Awards for the Best Tutor and PhD Student:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award for Scientific Education: Assoc. Prof. Igor Ondrejka, MD, PhD.
  • Best PhD Student Award: Romana Barošová, PharmD, PhD.

Comenius University Medals were awarded to:

  • Prof. Marian Adamkov, MD, DSc., long-time head of the Institute of Histology and Embryology, for his significant scientific and educational contributions, interdisciplinary work, and for enhancing the reputation of Comenius University and the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin at home and abroad.
  • Prof. Peter Bánovčin, MD, CSc., long-time head of the Department of Pediatrics, for his contributions to science and education in Slovakia and for promoting the university's reputation.
  • Prof. Ján Jakuš, MD, DSc., long-time head of the Institute of Medical Biophysics, for his interdisciplinary contributions and for enhancing the reputation of the university and faculty.

Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Medals and Letters of Appreciation were awarded to:

  • Prof. Kamil Javorka, MD, DSc., for his service as a member of the academic senate, vice-dean, and external representative of the faculty, and for his work as editor-in-chief of the journal Acta Medica Martiniana.
  • Prof. Ján Lehotský, RNDr., DSc., from the Institute of Medical Biochemistry, awarded the JFMED Gold Medal.
  • Assoc. Prof. Zora Lasabová, RNDr., PhD., head of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genomics, awarded the JFMED Silver Medal.
  • Assoc. Prof. Robert Vyšehradský, MD, PhD., head of the Department of Pulmonology and Phthisiology, awarded the JFMED Bronze Medal.
  • Miroslav Bórik, employee of the Institute of Information Technologies, awarded the JFMED Bronze Medal.
  • Prof. Tibor Baška, MD, PhD., professor at the Institute of Public Health, awarded the Silver Medal for 30 years of service.
  • Ľudovít Šutarík, MD, CSc., employee of the 1st Department of Internal Medicine, awarded the Silver Medal for 45 years of service.
  • Miloslav Čutka, head of the Institute of Information Technologies, awarded the Bronze Medal for 30 years of service.
  • Anna Kubernátová, employee of the Institute of Medical Biochemistry, awarded the Silver Medal for 50 years of service.
  • Darina Kulišková, employee of the Institute of Physiology, awarded the Silver Medal for 50 years of service.
  • Jaroslav Štefanides, employee of the Operations Department, awarded the Bronze Memorial Medal for 35 years of service.
  • Jana Seryjová, long-time director of the university dormitory and cafeteria, awarded the Gold Medal for 35 years of service upon her retirement.
  • Eva Tišliarová, long-time head of the Study Department, awarded the Gold Medal for 35 years of service.
  • Kvetoslava Kulichová, employee of the Department of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, awarded the Bronze Memorial Medal for 19 years of service.
  • Oľga Nekorancová, employee of the Economic Department, awarded the Bronze Memorial Medal for 34 years of service and celebrating a life milestone.