Four students of the medical programme at the Wroclaw Medical University have been awarded scholarships from the Minister of Health for the academic year 2025/2026. Elżbieta Bartoszewska, Katarzyna Herbetko, Dominik Krupka and Kacper Żełabowski were recognized for their significant scientific achievements.
In the academic year 2025/2026, the Minister of Health awarded 40 scholarships. A total of 120 applications submitted by university rectors were evaluated. Experts focused primarily on the scientific value and innovativeness of the students’ achievements, as well as their actual contribution to the projects and publications presented. The new selection rules meant that quality, rather than the number of achievements, was the key factor.
Among the awardees were four students from the Wroclaw Medical University:
Elżbieta Bartoszewska
A sixth-year medical student. Her scientific interests focus primarily on hematology, cardiology—with particular emphasis on cardiomyopathies—and psychology. She served as Vice-Chair of the Student Scientific Society of Cancer Cell Biology and was involved as a volunteer in the Welcome Center and the “Move Your Heart” campaign.
She is the author and co-author of nine articles published in international scientific journals, including six as first author, as well as three chapters in monographs, one of which she prepared as first author. She has presented her work at numerous national conferences. She also collaborated on the creation of patient databases, the results of which were presented, among others, at forums of the European Society of Cardiology. Valuable experience in her development also included international internships in Bulgaria, Italy, and Japan.
In the future, she plans to continue her research activity and further develop her interests in cardiology. She intends to pursue a professional path in fields such as internal medicine, cardiology, or pediatric cardiology. She is also considering participation in international medical aid programs. Travel, volunteering, and personal and artistic development play an important role in her life.
Katarzyna Herbetko
A sixth-year medical student and a first-year PhD student at the Wroclaw Medical University Doctoral School. Since the beginning of her studies, she has been developing scientific activity focused on cancer biology and translational research aimed at the practical application of research results in clinical medicine. She is active in the Student Scientific Society of Cancer Cell Biology and the Student Scientific Society of Transplantology and Advanced Therapies for Heart Failure, engaging in research projects, literature analysis, and preparation of publications.
Her interests focus primarily on oncology, with particular emphasis on the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and modern treatment methods. An important area of her work is the analysis of clinical and molecular data to improve patient stratification and support the development of personalized medicine. The humanistic dimension of medicine is also important to her, especially the doctor–patient relationship and the role of effective communication in the treatment process.
She is the author and co-author of 24 scientific publications in renowned international journals (with a combined Impact Factor exceeding 80), including 15 as first author. She was also awarded a Minister of Health scholarship in the previous academic year.
She is currently pursuing a doctoral project on colorectal cancer, focusing on therapeutic strategies and clinical data analysis. In the future, she plans to specialize and further develop in the field of clinical oncology, combining scientific activity with medical practice.
Dominik Krupka
A sixth-year medical student. In his third year, he joined the Student Scientific Society of Transplantology and Advanced Therapies for Heart Failure, where he became involved in a project to create a registry of patients requiring implantation of left ventricular assist devices or heart transplantation. For two years, he served as Chair of the society, developing its activities and participating in projects related to cardiogenic shock.
He is the author and co-author of 12 scientific publications in renowned international journals, with a total Impact Factor of approximately 28. In five of them, he served as first author—including a series of three papers devoted to cardiogenic shock. He also co-authored works presented at international conferences, some of which he presented personally. Among his notable experiences during his studies is also the organization of 14 table football tournaments, which he considers an important part of academic life.
In the future, he is considering pursuing a doctoral degree and engaging in teaching activities. However, he primarily intends to build his career as a clinician. He is interested in developing in fields such as endocrinology, angiology, or rheumatology, while maintaining a balance between professional and private life.
Kacper Żełabowski
A third-year medical student. He is the founder and Chair of the Student Scientific Society of Psychopharmacology, within which he conducts publishing activity in the field of modern psychiatric pharmacotherapy. He also participates in the work of the Department of Psychiatry at Wroclaw Medical University and serves as a board member of the Student Scientific Society of Psychiatry. His interests focus on new drugs and therapies used in the treatment of schizophrenia, treatment-resistant depression, and insomnia.
He actively reviews publications in renowned international journals related to clinical pharmacology, sleep medicine, and pharmacovigilance. He is particularly interested in new drugs in advanced stages of clinical trials, as well as therapeutic solutions more widely used abroad than in Poland. He is also developing his skills in data analysis and research methodology, focusing, among others, on learning how to prepare meta-analyses and advanced statistical studies.
In the future, he plans to specialize in adult psychiatry and further develop in psychopharmacology. Thanks to an individualized study program, he is already able to deepen his research and analytical competencies. Outside of medicine, he is interested in astronomy, religious studies, and traveling across the Middle East.
Photo: Students’ archives / Tomasz Modrzejewski