LĀZA scholarships awarded to medical students

On 5 June the Latvian Medical and Dental Association (LĀZA) awarded several scholarships from the Professor Ilmārs Lazovskis' Memorial Foundation at the Pauls Stradiņš Museum for History of Medicine. A total of 7 000 USD was granted in financial aid this year. The scholarships were handed over by pysician Ēriks Niedrītis (USA), the Head of the foundation, as well as physician Edīte Lazovska who is the spouse of Ilmārs Lazovskis. Almost all scholarship recipients were students at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU).  

The scholarship goes to students in their final year of study at various Latvian medical institutions of higher education. This year all five all five recipients of the 1 000 USD scholarship were from RSU:  Elīna Zvaigzne (RSU, 6th year), Dmitrijs Grigorjevs (RSU, 6th year), Sandra Cipkina (RSU, 6th year), Mareks Marčuks (RSU, 6th year) and Ieva Muižniece (RSU, 6th year). Lauma Upelnieks-Katis (USA) granted a targeted donation as financial aid for the support of Ieva Muižniece aimed at fostering paediatric psychiatry in Latvia.  

Several promotional scholarships from the Professor Ilmārs Lazovskis' Memorial Foundation of 500 USD were awarded to Artūrs Šilovs (RSU, 6th year), Elizabete Stašāne (RSU, 6th year), Jana Višņevska (University of Latvia, 5th year) and Laura Bluzmane (RSU, 5th year).

2019 scholarship recipients: Dmitrijs Grigorjevs, Elīna Zvaigzne, Ieva Muižniece, Jana Višņevska, Laura Bluzmane, Elizabete Stašāne and Artūrs Šilovs, LĀZA President Uģis Gruntmanis, Edīta Lazovska, Head of Prof. Ilmārs Lazovskis’ Memorial Foundation Ēriks Niedrītis. Photo: Jānis Brencis

Next year will mark the 15th anniversary since the first scholarships were granted by the foundation. The total number of recipients has reached 100. This year nine diligent and determined students received support from LĀZA to further their studies. All recipients highlighted the significance of their emotional gains and the gratitude that their abilities and deeds had been appreciated.

LĀZA President Uģis Gruntmanis wished for Ilmārs Lazovskis’ life, views and deeds to serve as inspiration for the young doctors stressing Lazovskis’ importance during the Awakening period. 

The scholarship recipients were congratulated by Jana Pavāre, the Dean of the RSU Faculty of Medicine, and Romualds Ražuks, a lecturer from the University of Latvia. Edīte Lazovska expressed her wish for the students to be versatile, gain strength through art, music, and literature and to love their job, explore the world and to eventually return back home. There was a feeling reminiscent of the First World Congress of Latvian Doctors in the air as it was exactly 30 years ago that long-standing member, and later president of LĀZA, Prof. Bertrams Zariņš gathered doctors from all over the world to meet in Latvia.

RSU Faculty of Medicine Dean Jana Pavāre congratulates scholarship recipients.

Information about LĀZA and opportunities to support medical education.

The Latvian Medical and Dental Association (LĀZA) brings together Latvian medical practitioners who live outside of Latvia and those who live in Latvia, as well as professionals in other fields of healthcare, scientists and employees with a common goal – to jointly promote students’, medical residents’, doctors’ and dentists’ education, research cooperation. Latvian émigré physicians founded the association in 1947 in Esslingen.