USMF “Nicolae Testemițanu” graduates take physician’s and pharmacist’s oath

Around 1,000 young graduates of Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) took the Physician’s and Pharmacist’s Oath today. The solemn ceremony took place at Chișinău Arena. Officials, academic staff, and the families of the future doctors and pharmacists attended the event.

The ceremony began with the national anthem of the Republic of Moldova and a parade of the flags of the graduates’ countries of origin, symbolizing the international character of the institution and of the medical community it forms.

In his opening speech, Minister of Health Emil Ceban emphasized that taking the Oath marks the beginning of a mission that the young people have chosen with dignity and courage: to serve life, health, and the wellbeing of people.

“Behind every diploma lie years of intense study, sacrifices, sleepless nights, difficult exams and, above all, a sincere desire to have a major impact on society. The merits are yours, but they are also shared with the professors who guided you, with the families who supported and encouraged you, and with all those who believed in your potential. You have chosen professions distinguished by enormous responsibility. Doctors and pharmacists do not work only with diagnoses, treatments, or medicines; they work with people’s trust, their hopes, and the most vulnerable moments in every patient’s life. In your hands will lie not only professional knowledge and skills, but also the power to ease suffering, to restore health, and to save lives,” said Ceban.

The official noted that the Oath taken today is a profound moral commitment that will accompany the young professionals throughout their entire careers, reminding them that professional excellence must always be accompanied by compassion, empathy, respect, and integrity.

“The health system needs you – well-prepared, dedicated, and upright specialists, capable of responding to patients’ needs and contributing to the development of modern, accessible, and people-centered medical services. Each of you will become an essential link in the functioning of this system. In hospitals across the country, in medical centers, laboratories and pharmacies, in urban and rural communities, you will be the ones who transform the knowledge you have gained into concrete services for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. You will contribute to disease prevention, health promotion, patient care, and also to strengthening trust in medical institutions,” added Ceban.

He stressed that the Ministry of Health looks with confidence to the new generation of specialists.

“You are the generation that will help modernize and strengthen the health system, introduce medical innovations, and build more efficient services that are closer to people’s needs. Your energy, professionalism, and vision are invaluable resources for the future of public health in the Republic of Moldova. I encourage you to practice your profession with dignity and courage. Always place the patient’s wellbeing at the center of your activity and never lose your sensitivity to human suffering. Sometimes a word of encouragement, an explanation offered with patience and empathy, is worth more than a treatment. I wish you a career full of achievements, to remain faithful to the values that brought you here, and to carry with pride the title of doctor, pharmacist, and graduate of USMF ‘Nicolae Testemițanu’,” the official concluded.

University’s First Vice-Rector Olga Cernețchi added that many young people from various countries choose to pursue their studies in the Republic of Moldova, at USMF “Nicolae Testemițanu,” attracted by the quality of education, academic traditions, and the institution’s international recognition.

“Today is a special day for our university’s academic community. Together we are experiencing the emotion and joy of a landmark moment – the graduation of a new generation of health professionals. After years of hard work and dedication, our graduates are successfully completing their studies and solemnly taking the Physician’s and Pharmacist’s Oath, marking the beginning of a career dedicated to human health and life. At present, our university hosts students from 33 countries around the world, benefiting from study programs in four languages: Romanian, Russian, English, and French. Dear graduates, we thank you for choosing USMF ‘Nicolae Testemițanu’ in the Republic of Moldova for your studies,” said Olga Cernețchi.

This year, after passing their degree and graduation exams, 966 young specialists solemnly took the Oath: 753 local graduates and 213 foreign citizens from 16 countries (India, Israel, Tunisia, USA, Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Jordan, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia).

The young people completed the following integrated study programs: Medicine – 590, Dentistry – 208, Pharmacy – 80; and the following Bachelor’s programs: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation – 36, General Nursing – 21, Public Health – 12, Optometry – 12, and Radiology and Imaging Technologies – 7 graduates.

Another 81 people completed Master’s programs: Public Mental Health – 15, Advanced Nursing – 14, Human Nutrition – 13, Clinical Optometry – 6, Molecular Technologies in Health – 4, Early Childhood Intervention – 1, and Public Health Management – 28.