Prof. dr. Miralem Pašić gave a lecture at KCUS: You study medicine in Sarajevo – I did that too!

(Patria) - Organized by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sarajevo and the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo (KCUS), a lecture by prominent cardiac surgeon prof. dr. Miralem Pašić from the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin clinic was held today at KCUS premises, titled: "You study medicine in Sarajevo – I did that too".

The lecture was attended by students, residents, doctors, professors, as well as numerous guests.

The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine UNSA, prof. dr. Amina Valjevac, in her introductory address highlighted the most important segments from the rich biography of prof. dr. Miralem Pašić.

"Prof. dr. Pašić is one of the most eminent cardiac surgeons today, who took his first medical steps precisely at our faculty. His lecture is a strong reminder, especially for our students, that the foundations of knowledge and success can and should be built here, on the soil of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prof. dr. Pašić enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo in 1975 and graduated in 1980.

He completed postgraduate studies, including master's and doctoral theses, in Tuzla, where he also obtained the title of habilitated professor. He continued his further professional development in Germany and Switzerland, where he obtained numerous certificates, including the title of professor at Humboldt University in Berlin.

His scientific and clinical contribution is recognized in Switzerland, Germany, and today in the United States of America. He is the author of over 250 scientific papers published in the most prestigious medical journals, and he is the initiator of numerous surgical procedures that today represent the standard of modern medicine," said prof. dr. Valjevac.

She added that the Faculty of Medicine UNSA, as the oldest higher medical education institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, continues to shape the future of the health profession in BiH.

"Our main goal remains the same: to educate doctors who will contribute to the improvement of society's health with their knowledge, humanity, and innovations," stated Dean Valjevac.

According to prim. dr. Sanka Pandur, acting director of the Discipline for Science and Teaching at KCUS, prof. dr. Pašić, along with prof. dr. Emir Solaković, is one of the initiators of the German-Bosnian educational program, which is based on cooperation between the German Heart Center and KCUS.

"Two curiosities are particularly related to the work of prof. dr. Pašić. The first is that a patient received a heart transplant twice on the same day, and the second is a case where a patient, a Jehovah's Witness, had their aorta replaced from the valve to the pelvis – without a single drop of blood. Very few people have a biography and expertise like prof. dr. Pašić. It is a great honor for us that he is with us today, because he represents living proof that top knowledge can be acquired right here, in Sarajevo," emphasized prim. dr. Pandur.

Prof. dr. Nermir Granov, director of Surgical Disciplines at KCUS, emphasized that everyone is extremely proud of the visit of friend and esteemed mentor prof. dr. Miralem Pašić to KCUS, whose name and work are synonymous with top medical expertise and excellence in treating heart diseases.

"Prof. dr. Pašić is considered by many to be the true father of cardiac surgery in Sarajevo, as he has contributed the most to establishing this field of medicine at KCUS. We have learned a lot from him, but one of the more important lessons is that great results are achieved only through joint, i.e., teamwork, which we apply in Cardiac Surgery at KCUS. We perform almost all procedures in the field of cardiac surgery and are very active in joining the Eurotransplant program.

Heart transplantation is a program that involves several groups of people: a group of people who can find patients who need a new heart and organ donors, a group of people who can perform surgeries, a group of people who can manage post-operative recovery, and above all, a group of people who encourage potential organ donors.



Unfortunately, we still do not have a sufficiently developed awareness of the importance of organ donation, which is why we are not yet a member of Eurotransplant. Eurotransplant is a service that expects us to donate a certain organ so that we can also receive an organ. We have a waiting list for hearts, which changes very quickly, as a certain number of patients unfortunately do not live to see a heart transplant. Since 2023, we have had permission for heart transplantation, which is granted upon meeting all conditions, which we have managed to do. Therefore, it is necessary to implement stronger measures to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of organ donation, because every donated organ means the beginning of a new life," stated prof. dr. Granov.

Prof. dr. Pašić expressed his satisfaction that doctors in KCUS and throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina are performing high-quality surgical procedures. However, as he pointed out, medicine is not only a matter of professional staff but also of the functional organization of the healthcare system.

"I believe that the conditions and organization of work must be improved in all segments of the healthcare sector, especially in the field of cardiac surgery. 23 years ago, at the request of colleagues from KCUS, I supported the development of cardiac surgery in Sarajevo.

Today, I am here to congratulate them on the vision they have realized and brought to the European level, which was established more than two decades ago," said prof. dr. Pašić.

In the end, the professor advised that we should all take care of our own health regardless of our age.