On Thursday, 7 March 2024, the nine winners of the 10th International Medis Awards for Medical Research (IMA) were announced at the National Gallery of Slovenia in Ljubljana. For the tenth consecutive year, the contest rewards the outstanding research achievements of doctors and pharmacists from Central and South-Eastern Europe.
The winners of the 10th International Medis Awards for Medical Research are in alphabetical order of fields):
- Gastroenterology: David JM Bauer, MD, Austria
- Gynecology: Gábor Szabó, MD, PhD, Hungary
- Intensive Care Medicine and Anesthesiology: Nikola Bradić, MD, Croatia
- Neurology: Marija Babunovska, MD, North Macedonia
- Ophthalmology: Maja Živković, MD, PhD, Serbia
- Pediatrics: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Bukara-Radujković, MD, MSc, PhD, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Pharmacy: Milena Anđelković, MSc Pharm, PhD, Serbia
- Pulmonology and Allergology: Jure Urbančič, MD, PhD, Slovenia
- Rheumatology: Irina Gessl, MD, Austria
Doctors and pharmacists who have published their scientific research contributions in prestigious scientific publications with an impact factor higher than 1.500 were eligible to apply for the 10th International Medis Awards for Medical Research. This year, 242 applications were received from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. 148 entries met all the high criteria for nominations for the International Medis Awards.
The President of the International Scientific Committee Prof. Borut Štrukelj, MSc Pharm, PhD, commented on the applied research:
Every year, the International Scientific Committee reviews excellent submitted scientific papers. This fills us with hope for the future of medicine and pharmacy in our region. At the same time, we also feel a great responsibility when it comes to evaluating the articles, especially when selecting those that really stand out. I congratulate all the authors whose research has met the high standards required for publication in the most prestigious scientific journals and I encourage everyone to participate in the International Medis Awards also in the future.
Tone Strnad, MSc Pharm, Founder of the International Medis Awards and the company Medis, said at the ceremony:
We established these Awards ten years ago to improve the recognition of the achievements of doctors and pharmacists in Central and South-Eastern Europe in the professional and especially in the lay public, while encouraging them to continue their future or even more extensive work in their chosen field of research. Over the course of a decade, the Awards have become a respected professional reference in medical and pharmaceutical circles. As the initiator of the Awards, I view this with great satisfaction and pride.
Maja Strnad Cestar, MSc, Medis CEO, explains why the company supports this contest:
Our mission is to improve the quality of life of patients in our region, and the role of doctors and pharmacists is indispensable in this. That is why we are the main sponsor of the IMA contest already for the tenth year. I believe that by supporting these Awards, we are strengthening optimism in medicine and pharmacy, promoting confidence in science and helping to create a better future for us all.
Martina Perharič, MSc Pharm, PhD, Medis CBO, emphasized the importance of research:
Working in science is hard work full of challenges. If you are doing this on top of your regular clinical work, especially in countries where there is not much money or support for research, then your commitment to science is truly remarkable. This undoubtedly deserves wider attention from the professional and lay public. At the same time, the Awards help to build the confidence and reputation of hard-working doctors and pharmacists who are helping people to get better treatment options.
Watch the Awards Ceremony at International Medis Awards website.
About the International Medis Awards for Medical Research
The International Medis Awards for Medical Research are an international award presented by an independent International Scientific Committee for outstanding research achievements in nine countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe in nine medical fields. It is awarded annually. Each winner receives a bronze sculpture Bodočnost (The Future) by the renowned sculptor Jakov Brdar, a certificate and a small financial grant.
The International Medis Awards for Medical Research recognise outstanding doctors and pharmacists who are involved in research in addition to their regular work with patients. The aim of the Awards is to make these doctors and pharmacists known to the public, to spread the word about their work and to encourage them and others to continue their research work. With their work, they contribute to important innovations in medicine and pharmacy and thus to more effective disease management.
The Awards were founded in 2014 on the initiative of the company Medis, d.o.o. from Ljubljana, which is still the main sponsor of the Awards today.
