Biography

Prof. Dr. László Romics was born in Érd, Hungary in 1936. His parents (István Romics and Katalin Berényi) were the descendants of a family traditionally living in Érd. His father was a joiner by profession. The family had a hard time during World War II. His father even had to go to the front lines of the fights, but he returned luckily. The socialisation (a forced process of turning private properties into state-owned properties) that followed the war involved the joinery workshop as well.

He attended primary school partially in Érd, and partially in the Premonstratensian school of Budafok until the termination of the school. He completed his secondary studies in Budapest at the Attila József Gymnasium, where he passed his maturity examination in 1955. In spite of the fact that he had maximum scores, they refused his application to the Budapest University of Medical Sciences due to political reasons, since he belonged under the so-called “other” non-preferred category. Finally, he could start to study at the university in 1956, where his studies were interrupted straight away in the first semester by the revolution. He completed his studies at the Budapest University of Medical Sciences in 1962 with “summa cum laude” result.

His first workplace was at the 3rd Department of Internal Medicine of the university, and his first master was the highly respected Professor Sándor Gerő. He passed his faculty examination at this institute, where later on he worked as an Assistant Professor and finally as a University Docent. He protected his candidate thesis in 1976. He became an Internal Medicine Chief Physician of ORFI [National Institute of Rheumatology and Physiotherapy] in 1982. He spent here four years, out of which he was the Deputy General Manager for two years. In 1985, he was appointed as the Director of Internal Medicine (3rd Department) of the Semmelweis University. He filled in this post until 2001. In year 2006 he was awarded the title of “Professor Emeritus”.

Between 1981 and 1991 he was the Deputy Rector of the Semmelweis University, and he was its Rector between 1996 and 1999. Between 2003 and 2005 he was the President of the Association of Hungarian Medical Societies (MOTESZ). For many years he was the member of the management and the Secretary of the Hungarian Internal Medicine Society, and he was also the member of the Board of the Hungarian Diabetes Society. He was the member of the Internal Medicine Professional College for close to 30 years – he was also its President for two terms. He was the President of the Hungarian Atherosclerosis Society for more than ten years.

In 1974 he was elected to be the Secretary at the Medical Division of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He filled in this post until 1985, then he became its consulting member. In year 1994 he defended his academic doctoral thesis (D.Sc.), then in 1995 he became a corresponding member of the Academy, and in 2005 he became a full member of the Medical Division of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. For two terms he was the President of the Medical Division of the Academy. For more than fifteen years he was the member of the Board of the Health Science Council.

During his career he was awarded countless awards and medallions, including among others the following: Excellent Doctor (1981), Sándor Gerő Medallion (1995), Albert Szent-Györgyi Prize (1999), Semmelweis Medallion and Award (2002), László Batthyány-Strattmann Prize (2003), Széchenyi Prize (2005), Medium Cross of the Order of Merits of the Hungarian Republic (2011, posthumous).