My name is Zlatko Cvjetkovic. Actually, Dr. Zlatko Cvjetkovic. I do not say that to boast, however. I say it because I’m so proud to be a doctor and work as a medical doctor.
Nine years ago, when I was a student at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, I wondered if I had made the right choice by choosing to study medicine in my native Poland. Because my family originally came from Poland, but I grew up in Germany. I have German citizenship, German is my native language. I feel like a German. But I would have had to wait too long for a medical study place at a German university.
And I really wanted to become a doctor and start studying as soon as possible. Needless to say, the choice I made was the right one. Not only did I receive great education at Jagiellonian University, but I also had unique experiences. I met so many wonderful people in Krakow. I have gained lifelong friends from many countries in Europe and around the world. I think that has not only made me a better doctor, but a better person to deal with. Sometimes doctors forget that the patients are mostly humans. Here at the university I learned how important it is to empathise with people.