PHOTOS: 141 Residents Graduate from RSU This Autumn

141 residents graduated from Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) on 30 September. At the graduation ceremony, the medical residents received their diplomas for completing the study programme Residency in Medicine and they also obtained their specialisation and qualification.

This year’s graduates represent 45 specialities. Compared to last year, the number of graduates in the speciality of family medicine has increased - last year there were 16 graduates, but this year the number increased to 22. Neurologists (15), anaesthesiologists (8) and psychiatrists (7) are also well-represented this autumn. After six years of medical studies, residents have to devote from three to six years to acquire their chosen principal speciality, depending on what it is.

Graduation ceremony photo gallery

Over the past years, RSU has made it a priority to promote cooperation with regional medical institutions, which is also reflected in this year's graduate data. 49, or 35%, of this year's graduates have already been working at a regional medical institution during their residency studies (compared to 37 residents last year). It is expected that after completing their residency studies, these young specialists will help to solve a problem that prevalent in Latvia – a shortage of doctors in various regions across the country.

The new academic year for residents has also just started at RSU. A total of 863 students are currently studying at the Faculty of Residency, among them 221 new residents who enrolled this summer. The most in-demand specialities this summer, looking at where the highest competition per study place was, are dermatology, venereology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, neurology, psychotherapy, otolaryngology, cardiology, and endocrinology. Two dentistry subspecialties were also very sought after – endodontology and periodontology.