Polish School of Medicine 70th anniversary
A Polish refugee who became one of the first civilian students to benefit from a unique wartime teaching initiative in Edinburgh has made an emotional return to Scotland.
Eighty-eight-year old Dr Anna Sokolowska began her studies at the University of Edinburgh’s Polish School of Medicine in 1941.
She paid two-and-a-half guineas to matriculate at the school in 1941 after her family escaped from Poland at the start of World War Two.
Exhibition
Dr Sokolowksa visited an exhibition at the University commemorating the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Polish School of Medicine.
The exhibition includes Dr Sokolowska’s 1940-41 matriculation card, her Royal Hospital for Sick Children’s student card and her women’s union card.
Visitors can see this and other artefacts from the Polish School of Medicine at the Exhibition Room of the University’s Main Library at George Square until June 25th.
There are also a number of bronze sculptures symbolising the story and ethos of the Polish School of Medicine.
A graduate's story
The exhibition also features the story of Dr Magdalena Krystyna Munk,
Dr Munk had almost completed her medical studies in Poland at the outbreak of World War II but was forced to flee her native land.
She was serving as ship’s doctor on the SS Warszawa, when it was torpedoed in the Mediterranean by a German submarine on Boxing Day 1941. Dr Munk received a King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct for her role in rescuing the crew.
She graduated from the Polish Medical School on her 30th birthday in 1943 and later became a GP in Edinburgh.
Items in the display include a replica of the silver laurel spray emblems she was awarded, her medical diploma, her merchant seaman’s logbook and her record of studies book.
Exhibition events
The free exhibition is open Tuesday - Saturday between 10am and 5pm.
Exceptions are Saturday 18 and 25 June, when opening times are 10am - 1pm.
Various talks and events are also being held to give insight to the artefacts on display.
Polish School of Medicine
The Polish School of Medicine was set up following the arrival of thousands of members of the Polish armed forces as well as civilian refugees in Scotland during World War Two.
Among them were a number of doctors and senior medical students.
This included members of the Polish medical corps, as well as many senior academics from Poland’s main universities.
Efforts were made to ensure Polish doctors in the armed forces were able to keep up their clinical skills.
Arrangements were made for them to meet and work with British doctors in military hospitals and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
This grew into the creation of the Polish School of Medicine in Edinburgh, which enabled Poles to continue or begin their education in medicine.