What is your current position at the Faculty?
Currently, this is my third year in the position of a head of the Department of Anatomy.
What attracted you to study anatomy?
This is the kind of simple question, that makes the interviewee breathe in, open his mouth and find out that he doesn’t really know. At the beginning, it was a desire to come to terms with the biggest nightmare in medical studies. No longer do I perceive anatomy as the most difficult subject, in the least at our faculty. Anatomy describes the body as a beautiful and admirable structure, as a map full of aisles and pathways. It would be pert of me to call myself a „Renaissance man,“ but I perceive the human body with renaissance reverence and interest. Anatomy is simply a body and soul issue.
How long have you been working at the Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové?
Over twenty years.
Is there any significant moment related to your work at the fakulty that you can recall?
There are many important moments. You know, I don’t take career advancement too seriously in fact, social events tend to stick in my memory. From a professional point of view, it is important for me to finish some comprehensive work and I can be proud of the result (and what not to admit, I am often glad that I got rid of the task).
What have you recently been involved in the most?
Unfortunately, now it’s mainly about dealing with distance study and home office, which disrupts the normal life of the department. Everything is in motion, the established procedures are gone, we are not able to plan with certainty for more than a week in advance, and the constant uncertainty depresses us. It is difficult to keep explaining to expert partners, officers and students why something is not working or it is delayed, fortunately we usually find understanding.
Will you let us know your hobbies and how do you relax in your leasure time?
I have a lot of interests and if I was to list them all, our interview would be quite disproportionate. So first of all inland hiking. Some time ago I would have also mentioned music and theater, but now I am not actively involved in culture, except for some occasional poem for my drawer. As for relaxation, well, it is not very active now either. Coronavirus deprived me of a lot of joy. In general, from a philosophical point of view, I diverge a lot from recent times, and the role of media, social networks and politicians on both sides during the year-lasting pandemic certainly did not contribute to that. Basically, this period has no positive hero, except for nameless paramedics. I apologize if skepticism speaks for me, because as a manager I should act optimistically and coach my colleagues. So consider this an exceptional sincerity and a civic attitude that I do not otherwise disseminate in the workplace.
What would you pass forward to the graduates of FM HK, your former students?
That I remember them fondly. With my students, I used to undertake both leisure time activities such as an autopsy club, eventually SSRW, and sports events – floorball, football, frisbee, trips and concerts. Prior to becaming the head I was an ordinary assistant, we were very close to each other. Perhaps they also enjoy remembering their years in Hradec. It is very good that the Faculty has become interested in the graduates. It’s a good way to make a good name without a need of encouraging. So I would also tell the graduates to talk well about us and do us good ad.