Milestone at graduation ceremony in Nuremberg: PMU celebrates 1000th graduate in human medicine
At the annual graduation ceremony held at the Nuremberg campus last Friday, Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU) celebrated the 1000th graduate from its Human Medicine program. This coming Friday, September 20th, the Doctor of Medicine (Dr. med. univ.) degrees will be awarded to graduates in Salzburg. Since the program began in Salzburg in the fall of 2003, a total of 1,076 individuals have successfully completed their medical studies at PMU across both campuses. The new cohort started earlier this month, and applications for the 2025/2026 academic year open on October 7th.
On Friday, September 13th, in the historic Nuremberg Town Hall and in the presence of PMU Rector, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Sperl, the 41 new medical graduates from the Nuremberg campus, were saluted with the words, “Habemus doctores!” Up until then, 975 students had completed their medical studies at PMU—746 in Salzburg and 229 at the Nuremberg campus, established in 2014. The 25th graduate in alphabetical order—Amelie Osswald, 25, from Laubendorf/Langenzenn, Bavaria—became the PMU’s 1000th medical graduate.
"The 1000th medical graduate marks a joyful milestone in the PMU's success story. Our graduates enjoy an excellent reputation far and wide and are active both nationally and internationally in the healthcare and research sectors, and increasingly in management positions," says Rector Wolfgang Sperl. The five-year program is defined by research-based teaching, strong practice-oriented components, small group instruction, and personalized support. Each year, following a three-stage selection process, a maximum of 80 students in Salzburg and 55 in Nuremberg are admitted. The program is demanding and fast-paced, with a mandatory external benchmark examination - the USMLE Step 1 - at the end of the third year, followed by an international research semester in the fourth year. "At PMU, it has always been about ‘quality over quantity’. We aim to recruit the best students and train them to become physicians who are characterized by high competency and social responsibility and are equipped to excel in healthcare, research, and teaching," emphasizes the Rector of PMU, which was founded in 2002.
For the Nuremberg graduates, Friday marked the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. They received their medical diplomas from the hands of Dean of Studies, Prof. Dr. Stefan Knop, and were awarded the title of Doctor of Medicine (Dr. med. univ.). Dressed in traditional gowns, they took the Geneva Oath and were warmly welcomed into the medical profession by many well-wishers. "You will be remembered as a very responsible cohort, with great team spirit, collegiality, and fairness," praised Dr. Leyla Güzelsoy during her speech. She added an unusual piece of advice: "Stay kind, but don’t be too nice." Dr. Güzelsoy, from the University Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at Nuremberg Hospital, explained that the esteemed position of the medical profession calls for special virtues: the art of listening, kindness toward others, and the courage to stand against injustice. "Never compromise on the value of human life. Please, never forget how privileged you are."
The 330 guests also heard thoughtful reflections and advice from PMU co-founder, Prof. Dr. Andreas Jungwirth ("Do not fear death, it is your most reliable partner in medicine"), and from Rector Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Sperl ("Every act of helping, every life saved, is a creative and deeply satisfying endeavor"). Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Theodor Fischlein urged humility in the medical profession, quoting a maxim from ancient Greece: "Whatever you do, do it wisely and consider the end" ("respice finem").
Nuremberg's Mayor, Marcus König, offered his congratulations, particularly to the families of the new doctors. He encouraged the graduates to pursue lifelong learning—and jokingly, to always remain loyal to Nuremberg, no matter where life takes them. "You will eventually realize there is no better city and no better hospital than in Nuremberg." The mayor also praised how much the city has benefited from university-level medicine since the PMU campus was established ten years ago.
This sentiment was echoed by Prof. Dr. Achim Jockwig, Chairman of the Board of Nuremberg Hospital: "The Nuremberg Hospital has significantly improved its research performance. Our entire hospital operations have benefitted, and our reputation has grown. Even the Free State of Bavaria has now recognized our university engagement, for which we are very grateful." Jockwig welcomed the 50 new alumni to the medical profession—18 of whom are expected to begin their careers at the Nuremberg Hospital.
Class speakers Sarah Knorr and Jonas Krekel expressed relief at completing the extremely challenging five-year program and thanked the faculty, family, and friends for their support throughout their studies.
Special congratulations went to Amelie Osswald, PMU's 1000th medical graduate. The 25-year-old from Laubendorf/Langenzenn in Franconia, who had long been passionate about becoming a doctor, is very happy with her choice of study in hindsight. "The 'quality over quantity' principle at PMU is real. I really appreciated the familial atmosphere, the teaching at the hospital, and the compact five-year program. This also allowed me to stay close to home." However, the newly qualified doctor must now give up her beloved job as a paramedic, as she will soon begin her career as a resident doctor in cardiology at the Nuremberg Hospital.
Salzburg graduation ceremony to follow on September 20th
The annual Doctor of Medicine degree ceremony in Nuremberg traditionally takes place a week before the ceremony at the Alma Mater in Salzburg. On Friday, September 20th, 60 additional graduates from the Salzburg Class of 2019 will receive their degrees during the celebration at Hangar-7. This will bring PMU’s total number of medical graduates to 1,076.
New Cohort Begins Studies in September
Already on September 2nd, much earlier than at public universities, PMU’s new cohort of Human Medicine students began their 2024/2025 academic year. Currently, 618 medical students are enrolled in five cohorts at PMU—368 in Salzburg and 250 in Nuremberg. Applications for the 2025/2026 academic year will open on October 7, 2024.
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Gallery: Photos from the 2024 PMU graduation ceremony in Nuremberg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paracelsusuniversitaet/albums/72177720320403439
