Postgraduate Studies

Postgraduate Studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo

Postgraduate education was established as early as October 1963, in the 16th year of the Faculty’s existence. This marked the first form of postgraduate instruction at the University of Sarajevo and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in the broader region. Initially, it was a single-course program titled "Introduction to Medical Scientific Research", and it was conducted until 1969. That year, the Faculty Council restructured the postgraduate program so that the first year became common for all enrolled candidates, while in the second year, students were divided into five specializations:

1. Basic Medical Sciences
2. Internal Medicine
3. Surgery
4 .Social and Preventive Medicine
5. Dentistry - Later, additional courses were introduced:
- Occupational Medicine
- General Practice
- Work Capacity Assessment

Over time, new specializations were added, including: Experimental-Laboratory Medicine, Pulmonology, Social Medicine and Health Care Organization, Health Informatics and Economics, Medical Ecology, Family Medicine, and a wide range of clinical disciplines. In 1986, the Center for Postgraduate Studies and Continuing Education was established. By 1992, the Faculty offered 26 postgraduate study programs. As of December 31, 2006, the scientific output of postgraduate studies at the Faculty included 657 completed and defended master's theses, resulting in 657 awarded Master of Science degrees.

During the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1995), the premises of the Faculty and the Clinical Center—formerly the University Medical Center (UMC), which served as the Faculty’s teaching base—suffered unprecedented and irrational destruction. Some staff members left the city and the Faculty, while those who remained managed to maintain the continuity of work and fully implement the teaching and research programs under extraordinary conditions. Due to the circumstances, the Faculty premises also housed seven other faculties of the University of Sarajevo, in addition to the four health-related faculties, as their own facilities had been destroyed. Even under siege, with no electricity or water, and constant shelling, the Faculty’s professors, associates, and students continued their work, driven by a profound sense of professional, moral, and ethical duty to their people and their country.

The greatest loss for the Faculty was the lives of young students and colleagues who were killed or severely wounded, yet remained committed to the humanitarian and ethical principles of their future profession. The following individuals lost their lives:

1. Dilberović (Atif) Suada, rođena 1968.godine iz Dubrovnika
2. Pavlović (Dragana) Igor, rođen 1969. g. iz Sarajeva
3. Merzić (Mustafa) Haris, rođen 1965.g. iz Sarajeva
4. Golijanin (Radenko) Goran, rođen 1967.g. iz Sarajeva
5. Shehab Khalid Ahmed Mohamad, rođen 1963. g.iz Sudana
6. Džano (Muhamed) Melinda, rođena 1968.g.iz Sarajeva
7. Poprženović (Alaga) Amela, rođena 1970.g.iz Bihaća

During this period, 144 students graduated as Doctors of Medicine. It would be incorrect to claim that the departure of some faculty members—whether to the aggressor’s side or for other reasons—significantly disrupted the Faculty’s staffing structure. Despite the conditions from 1992 to 1995, the Faculty’s teaching and research activities were remarkably robust. Postgraduate education continued through the preparation and defense of master’s theses by candidates who had met the necessary requirements before or during the war. The Faculty conducted seven scientific projects, mostly focused on war-related medical issues. Additionally, 21 doctoral dissertations were successfully defended, and the Faculty organized or co-organized nine scientific symposia. A significant number of Faculty professors participated as experts in projects led by the Ministry of Health, the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the World Health Organization, and others.

The peace agreement that ended the war in late 1995 left the Faculty with severely damaged facilities, destroyed equipment, and a lack of resources.

Reconstruction efforts were supported by donations from the European Union, the Government of Canada, the Austrian humanitarian organization HOPE 87, the U.S. Embassy, and the Faculty’s own funds. Despite these efforts, the Faculty’s level of equipment has yet to reach its pre-war standard.

The post-war period has been marked by widespread post-traumatic stress disorder among the population, affecting both students and Faculty staff. This has been a key factor in the low academic performance and limited motivation observed during the first decade after the war.