As the year coordinator of the third-year Ph.D. students, he is always actively involved in group meetings and constantly brings new ideas to social programs. On Thursdays, he attends group meetings in Vienna as well, where his contributions are also valuable. In addition, he plays an essential role in student recruitment. Mahmoud Obeidat was honored with the Excellent Staff Member Award by the Centre for Translational Medicine.
Dr. Obeidat has long supported the work of the CTM in various roles. This academic year, he is the coordinator for the third-year students. Since he completed his Ph.D. training at the Centre for Translational Medicine and earned his doctoral degree last October, he has a deep understanding of the program. “As a year coordinator, my main responsibility is to ensure that students progress smoothly toward completing their research milestones and preparing for their pre-defense and final submission. I support them in timeline management and resolving academic challenges. Since the third year is a crucial transition period from data collection to publication and thesis finalization, I focus on helping students to stay organized, motivated, and confident in their scientific work. As a faculty member, I serve as a bridge between students, supervisors, and the leadership team, ensuring clear communication and timely problem solving.”
During group meetings, Dr. Obeidat pays particular attention to the clarity of the research questions, the rigor of the methodology, and the feasibility of the proposed analyses. “With my background in research, I place the greatest emphasis on study design, the assessment of biases, statistical planning, and the clinical meaningfulness of the research question. Beyond methodology, I also pay attention to how students present their ideas. I believe that appropriate public speaking and effective communication skills are very important. I always strive to create a supportive environment and initiate conversations in which constructive feedback helps them develop both their academic knowledge and their self-confidence.”
Domestically & internationally
Every Thursday, Dr. Obeidat attends group meetings held in Vienna. “The CTM has been collaborating with the Medical University of Vienna since last year, particularly in the fields of gynecology and urology. The group meetings in Vienna provide a valuable experience for international collaboration and cross-institutional exchange. I greatly appreciate the interdisciplinary spirit of these meetings, and look forward with great anticipation to further deepening and expanding our future collaboration.”
Dr. Obeidat also serves as the Middle East Ambassador for the program. In this role, he aims to create a space where prospective students can openly ask questions and freely discuss their academic plans. To facilitate this, he organized a live event for these students. This session provided a comprehensive overview of the PhD program's structure, research opportunities, and available scholarship options. The event was organized in collaboration with the Semmelweis Arab Student Association (ASAS), and nearly 100 students registered, reflecting strong interest in the region. “During the session, I presented our main research areas and described the work carried out at the Centre for Translational Medicine, with a particular focus on how our projects aim to improve patient outcomes directly. What I appreciated most was the students’ extraordinary enthusiasm. It is always inspiring to introduce young talents to scientific research early in their careers and help them understand how they can become part of an international scientific community. In my presentation, I also emphasized the importance of becoming clinician-scientists, experts who not only treat patients but also contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge through research.”
As part of the recruitment campaign, Dr. Obeidat will hold a workshop titled “How to apply?” in close collaboration with the Centre’s communications team. “The goal of this workshop is to provide a deeper insight into our programs for prospective students and to offer a clear overview of the entire application process. Our aim is to help motivated students feel confident and well-prepared when applying.”
(Szabó Emese)