You are beginning to study one of the most humane of all ancient arts and sciences which is named medicine.

Having put on a doctor’s uniform, you become a part of a great and numerous society of the doctors of the Volgograd State Medical University. You are sure to know that in 2005 our University celebrated its 70^th anniversary, and that it is one of the oldest in the area of medicine. Both the teachers and the students celebrated this birthday of the University. It was the holiday practically to all the doctors of the Volgograd region because the overwhelming majority of them graduated from our Medical University. It was also the holiday for the entire Volgograd region because during 70 years people who work at our University do their best to keep the health of all the habitants of our region.

The study at the University will let you become a doctor. It’s a great honour. But at the same time it’s a great responsibility. It is necessary to remember that the doctor practically has no right to be mistaken, because the price of this mistake may be the life of the patient or his health.

At the Alma Mater you will spend much more than one year and after the graduating from it you will remember simultaneously such a difficult but cheerful student’s time during all your life. If you want it to be so you should follow one simple rule: you should gain the knowledge in a persistent way and I believe everybody of you will become a high-qualified specialist and we will be proud of you as we are proud of many world-famous skillful physicians and researchers who have graduated from our University. It is not accidentally that the Volgograd State Medical University is one of the leaders among high medical schools of the Russian Federation.

I would like to congratulate all of you on the beginning of the new period in your life. I would like to congratulate all the students of our University, the teaching staff and all the people working at our University on the beginning of the new year of studies. Let it be successful for all of us. I would like to wish you and your relatives health and prosperity.

Vladimir I. Petrov,
Chancellor, VolSMU,
Academician, National Academy for Medical Sciences