In spring this year, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine (VU FM) elected the best lecturer(s) in each study programme. Students of the Faculty’s Bachelor’s, Integrated, Master’s and English programmes were invited to take part in a survey and give their opinion on which of the lecturers should be chosen as the best.
We are delighted to announce the results of this year’s Best Lecturer(s) competition and tell you more about the nominated lecturers and professors. This time, we interviewed lecturers of undergraduate programmes asking them to share their impressions of the award, to reveal what makes a good lecturer and to answer the question “What makes a good student?”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Agnė Kirkliauskienė - Best Lecturer in the Nursing and Public Health Bachelor Study Programmes
“The best lecturer is like an Olympic champion: you get a medal and you realise how much work and effort you have put in, but at the same time, it is a commitment to yourself, a desire not to lower the bar of quality, to work even better! For me, this is a very important recognition. I feel grateful to my students and motivated to continue my work”, said Assoc. Prof. Agnė Kirkliauskienė, who gives lectures on the subject of Microbiology. She shared that the best lecturers in her own life were those whose lectures were free of tension, had a friendly atmosphere and offered life advice. This is how she tries to conduct her lectures. When asked what makes a good student for her, Assoc. Prof. Dr Kirkliauskienė replied: “A good student is not a student who is overworked and tired and gets top grades. A good student means a student who is curious, courageous, active in seminar discussions, friendly and respectful of their fellow students... This is a student I will remember for a long time.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr Agnė Kirkliauskienė / © FM archive
Dr Inga Muntianaitė - Best Lecturer in the Physiotherapy Bachelor Study Programme
“As soon as I found out about the nomination, my first thoughts were about the mistakes I had made in my teaching and my interactions with students - I lamented the fact that the best teacher does not do that. After the nomination, I immediately signed up for teacher training”, joked Dr Inga Muntianaitė, a lecturer at the Kinesiotherapy Study Programme. According to her, a good lecturer, like any other professional, must first and foremost feel passionate about their work. “A good lecturer looks for ways to do their job in the best possible way and learn from the mistakes made. The worst thing about work, as in everything, is indifference,” said Dr Muntianaitė. Meanwhile, she said, the eyes of good students always sparkle with curiosity. “I am very happy and appreciative of those students who are interested in their speciality, who ask questions and discuss things not only during the classes but also afterwards. It’s nice to get a lot of questions – that’s when you know you have managed to arouse interest. It’s true that, like all lecturers, I like a motivated student who knows not only the lecturers’ but also their responsibilities,” noted Dr. Muntianaitė.
Dr Inga Muntianaitė / © FM archive
Lecturer Rūta Jonaitienė - Best Lecturer in the Occupational Therapy Bachelor Study Programme
“The nomination for Best Lecturer is a very nice recognition! It helps to understand that I am still able to implement the vision of knowledge transfer in line with my own and the University’s values,” said the lecturer of the Occupational Therapy programme, lect. Rūta Jonaitienė. According to her, the best lecturer is a person who tries to constantly improve, takes into account the changing world and students’ perceptions, is human, and respects himself and each student. “I have met many great teachers during my studies. These good examples have helped me to clarify the qualities of a good lecturer and the values that should be followed. It also helped me to understand how to create a smooth cooperation between lecturers and students, how to make sure that students acquire all the necessary competencies and lecturers don’t lose interest in their work”, said Ms Jonaitienė. A good student, she said, is curious, honest, responsible, sincere, asks a lot of questions and is not afraid to make mistakes.
Lecturer Rūta Jonaitienė / © FM archive
Assoc. Prof. Dr Saulius Galgauskas - Best Lecturer in the Optometry Bachelor Study Programme
Associate Professor Dr Saulius Galgauskas was pleased that, although the optometry study programme is still new, the students are interested, they try hard and are curious. “It is very nice and rewarding to be nominated as the best lecturer! It is inspiring and motivating to be appreciated. When I work with students, I also remember my time as a student and my lecturers. During my studies, I was taught by Gražina Juodkaitė, an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine and an ophthalmologist, who left an exceptional impression as a teacher, a doctor and a person. She was like a second mother to us, students. She was demanding, but at the same time very kind, and able to provide knowledge and consolidate it. Being chosen as the best lecturer encourages you to work hard and to keep improving. In the future, I wish other teachers and lecturers of our faculty to “try on” this title. I believe that we are all great experts in our field and wonderful people”, said Assoc. Prof. Dr Galgauskas.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Saulius Galgauskas / © lrytas.lt archive