Debrecen4U May 28, 2026

Debrecen Surgical Clinic Director Receives Prestigious Professional Award

Established by the Géza Kardos Friendship Society, the Géza Kardos Memorial Medal is awarded each year to a surgeon who plays a defining role in the development of surgery in Hungary and, while preserving the traditions of classical surgery, is also at the forefront of innovation. This year’s award was presented to Associate Professor Dezső Tóth at the Surgeons’ Meeting in Miskolc. Alongside the award recipient, several specialist doctors from the clinic also delivered presentations at the professional forum, providing a comprehensive overview of the activities, professional achievements and innovations of the Debrecen surgical working group, as reported by unideb.hu.

The award commemorates Géza Kardos (1919–2004), the legendary chief surgeon of Miskolc, whose foundational work, precision, and dedication to patients served as an example for generations. This year, the professional recognition was awarded to Associate Professor Dezső Tóth, Director of the Surgical Clinic at the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen.

“For me, the award represents the meeting of past and present. The years spent in Miskolc, working in the surgical department of the county hospital and later serving as head of division, provided the professional foundation of my career. The memorial medal therefore represents a kind of homecoming and intellectual bond, confirming that I have faithfully carried forward the values and surgical ethics I acquired there. At the same time, it is direct professional recognition of the tremendous work I have undertaken in introducing and developing minimally invasive techniques, which are now routinely used in general and oncological surgery, as well as in implementing robot-assisted surgery in Debrecen,” said Associate Professor Dezső Tóth, Director of the Surgical Clinic at the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen.

In addition to maintaining the achievements and professional standards attained so far, his objectives include developing emergency care, optimising day surgery, accelerating patient pathways, and further strengthening the Surgical Clinic’s regional and national role as an internationally recognised centre of excellence and training in oncological and robotic surgery.

He considers it a major success that he is able to lead both the Surgical Clinic and the Institute of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine simultaneously, coordinating clinical care, education and scientific activity. “The fact that I now participate in the education of future doctors as a lecturer, supervise PhD students and coordinate surgical care in the region is the perfect continuation of the school-forming philosophy represented by the award’s namesake, Géza Kardos. One of my key goals is to enhance the scientific prestige of the Debrecen school of surgery, ensure the next generation of specialists, mentor the successful degree attainment of the PhD students under my supervision, and support the clinical and scientific advancement of young surgical trainees, while initiating new international research collaborations and clinical studies,” he added.

As an organiser of international professional congresses, he places particular importance on sharing new surgical procedures and experiences, and regards the regular further training courses held at the Surgical Clinic with the participation of Hungarian and international experts as an especially significant achievement.

As a member of the leadership of the Hungarian Surgical Society, and formerly as its Secretary General and Treasurer, Dezső Tóth actively contributes to shaping surgery in the country.

The Head of Department and Associate Professor at the University of Debrecen received the Géza Kardos Memorial Medal at the Surgeons’ Meeting in Miskolc organised by the Department of Surgery of the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Central Hospital and the Miskolc Academic Committee. At the event, Dezső Tóth and his colleagues presented the activities of the Surgical Clinic and the latest innovations applied at the institution.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)