42 New Doctors: PMU Celebrates Graduation in Nuremberg

Five intensive years of medical school, countless hours of studying, around 100 exams – and now, a well-deserved graduation: 42 graduates of the Human Medicine program at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) celebrated this milestone on September 18, 2026, at Nuremberg’s Historic City Hall.

The graduation ceremony marked the end of a formative chapter for the 23 women and 19 men of the class of 2021. Surrounded by family, friends, and representatives of PMU and Klinikum Nürnberg, the new doctors took the Geneva Pledge and were bid farewell with a joint rendition of “Gaudeamus igitur.” Two female graduates and one male graduate completed their studies with distinction.

Responsibility, Integrity and Humanity

PMU Rector Annemarie Weißenbacher congratulated the graduating class on their achievements and offered them a personal piece of advice for the road ahead: “There will be challenging moments in your medical career. Please remember to take care of yourselves, too.”

Hans Herbert Steiner, Vice Rector of PMU in Nuremberg, emphasized the responsibility that comes with the medical profession before reading the Geneva Pledge. Medicine, he said, means being there for people in their most vulnerable moments. At the same time, he encouraged the graduates to bring their own ideas, creativity, curiosity and sense of humor to their future professional lives.

The keynote address was delivered by Simon Jäger, Head of the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology. Having been named “Teacher of the Year” several times by students, he reflected on his own first steps as a resident and on the importance of experienced colleagues who took responsibility and provided a sense of reliability and support. Medical knowledge alone, he stressed, is not enough for a career in medicine – equally important is the willingness to take a stand against discrimination and intolerance.

More Than Five Years of Studying Together

In their graduation speech, Melinda Schwendner and Dustin Müller reflected on the five years they had shared. Above all, they highlighted the friendships and sense of familiarity that had developed within the class – personal bonds whose value cannot be reflected in any diploma or certificate.

One detail shows that this sense of community will continue well beyond graduation: the date and venue for a class reunion in 2031 have already been set.

Many of the graduates will also maintain their professional ties to Nuremberg: 20 of the 42 new doctors plan to continue their careers at Klinikum Nürnberg, where they already gained valuable clinical experience during their studies. Achim Jockwig, Chairman of the Executive Board of Klinikum Nürnberg, praised their qualifications and emphasized how valuable it is for both the hospital and the region that so many graduates are choosing to continue their professional careers in Nuremberg.

Applications for the Human Medicine Program Open in November

As one class completes its journey at PMU, the next may soon be taking its first steps toward a medical career: applications for the 2027/28 academic year open on November 1, 2026.

PMU’s Human Medicine program is offered at its campuses in Salzburg and Nuremberg. A total of 135 places are available each year – 80 in Salzburg and 55 in Nuremberg.

Further information on the Human Medicine program, the admissions process and both study locations: www.pmu.ac.at/en/studies-further-education/human-medicine