A season of graduation and new beginnings
Hundreds of students have now graduated from the Sahlgrenska Academy. For many, professional careers await; for others, the next step is further studies or research. But for all of them, a new chapter is about to begin.
The Sahlgrenska Academy congratulates all of its newly graduated students and wishes them every success in their future careers. You are needed!
The past few weeks have been filled with music, applause, ceremonial speeches, and celebrations with family and friends. Above all, however, they have been the students’ days—days when years of hard work and dedication were recognized, and when the future suddenly felt very close.
A time of mixed emotions
A particularly significant milestone was reached when the final cohort from the previous medical program graduated. In the University of Gothenburg’s Aula, 129 students received their diplomas after eleven semesters of study. As the trumpet fanfare faded and they left the ceremony behind, they were no longer medical students—they had become physicians.
“It has gone by incredibly fast and incredibly slowly at the same time. There are so many emotions. It’s wonderful to be finished, but it’s also a little scary and a little sad that we’re all going our separate ways. This has been such a constant in our lives,” says Frida.
For many, the next step begins immediately. Frida is starting a research-track clinical internship at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, where she will combine clinical work with research on liver diseases.
Dreaming of a career in research
For the newly graduated biomedical scientists, graduation day was likewise marked by both pride and optimism about the future.
“When I started the program, there were so many things that felt so difficult that I couldn’t even imagine understanding them. Now I’m standing here with a degree and a dream of continuing in research,” says Nur.
For Elsa, professional life is just around the corner. She is beginning work at the bacteriology unit at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, while also seeing opportunities to continue developing her expertise in molecular diagnostics in the future.
A rewarding education
The graduation ceremony for the Speech and Language Pathology Program filled the University Aula with music, joy, and anticipation. After four years of study, it was time for diplomas, celebrations, and farewells.
“It feels wonderful that we’re graduating. It has been both a rewarding and challenging education, and now we’re ready for the next step,” says Andrea.
Andrea will now continue with doctoral studies in special education, focusing on interventions for older children with dyslexia.
“Just take the next step”
This year’s audiology graduates are also entering a profession with strong prospects. Demand for hearing care services continues to increase, and the expertise of audiologists is highly sought after.
During the graduation ceremony, teacher Milijana Malmberg encouraged students to look ahead with confidence:
“You don’t need to have your entire plan figured out today—just be willing to take the next step.”
Perhaps those words capture something of the spirit that has characterized this spring’s graduation ceremonies.
Exceptional teachers
The newly graduated nurses and radiographers were celebrated in keeping with tradition at Annedal Church with roses, ceremonial music, and heartfelt speeches. For many, a professional career now awaits—one in which they will make a difference for patients and families from their very first day on the job.
For students in the supplementary nursing program for nurses educated outside the EU and EEA, graduation means they can now work as nurses in Sweden.
Muhannad, who trained as a nurse anesthetist in Iraq, will begin working next week in the emergency care unit at Helsingborg Hospital.
“The best part of the program has been the amazing teachers. They have been incredibly helpful and supportive,” he says.
Vanesa, who earned her nursing degree in Kosovo, is now looking forward to starting work in the surgical department at Halmstad Hospital.
Specialist nurses in pediatric and adolescent healthcare also celebrated their graduation this spring and now bring their specialist expertise into healthcare.
Wonderful, but bittersweet
Among the newly graduated dietitians, some are moving directly into professional roles while others are continuing their studies. Evelina has already secured a position as a dietitian at Skaraborg Hospital in Skövde.
“It feels fantastic to graduate, but also bittersweet. I’m going to miss my classmates,” she says.
For Zenaida, the next step will be further studies with the goal of pursuing a future research career.
What all of this year’s graduation ceremonies have in common is the sense that something is ending while something new is beginning. Behind every diploma lie years of determination, late nights, new friendships, and the gradual development of a professional identity.
