Professor Gheorghe Bumbu – Doctor Honoris Causa of ”Nicolae Testemitanu” University

The academic track record of Nicolae Testemitanu University’s brilliant personalities was completed with another remarkable name – university professor Gheorghe Bumbu, doctor of medicine, head of the Urology Clinic within the Department of Surgical Disciplines, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Romania, who was awarded  the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University Senate during the ceremony that took place on October 13, 2022.

The highest distinction was given to Professor Bumbu in recognition of his merits in promoting medical science and practice, contributing to the training and professional development of our university’s scientific-teaching staff and of the medical staff for the healthcare system of the Republic of Moldova in the field of urology and urogynecology as well as to providing specialized medical assistance and supporting general human values ​​worldwide.

In the opening of the ceremony, Rector Emil Ceban mentioned that the collaboration between our institutions began after the independence of the Republic of Moldova, a historical event that created favorable conditions for the establishment of close relations between the specialized departments and disciplines of both countries. Thus, the cooperation between Professor Gheorghe Bumbu and the members of the Department of Urology and Surgical Nephrology and the Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Human Reproduction of Nicolae Testemitanu University dates back over 25 years. Due to the efforts of colleagues from Oradea, many trips, work visits, educational, scientific and professional programs for the scientific and didactic staff, as well as refresher medical training courses for doctors specializing in urology have been organized.

”We owe Professor Gheorghe Bumbu much for implementing the Urogynecology specialty in the Republic of Moldova. With his direct support, we have jointly held conferences, congresses, symposia and other scientific events; he participates directly as an official referent or a member of the specialized scientific councils in the defence of doctoral theses and Habilitated Doctor theses in medical sciences. Professor Gheorghe Bumbu consulted and operated on several patients from our country with various complicated urological and urogynecological pathologies. We are deeply grateful for the valuable donations of his written works”, stated the rector.

According to university professor Adrian Tanase, head of the Department of Urology and Surgical Nephrology, Professor Gheorghe Bumbu is one of the leading specialists – recognized both in Romania and abroad. ”We have known him for about 30 years, during which he contributed enormously to the professional development of healthcare employees in the Republic of Moldova, to the implementation of diagnostic and treatment methods in various urogynecological pathologies. Many doctors, specialists from our country participated as guests in various symposia, conferences, congresses, educational courses, organized with the support of Professor Gheorghe Bumbu, where they learned about the latest surgical interventions and attended valuable scientific presentations from the urological practice of the distinguished professor.

Professor Valentin Friptu, Head of the Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Human Reproduction, highlighted the exceptional work capacities of Professor Bumbu: ”He is a truly soulful person, who has done a lot for the patients of the Republic of Moldova, and this is just a modest presentation of his human qualities that represent his outstanding personality. Professor Gheorghe Bumbu is the founder of the Society of Urogynecology in Romania, he initiated the training of staff in the field of urogynecology, through a fruitful collaboration between urologists and gynecologists”.

”I have just experienced a sudden rush of emotion, quite difficult to control. Life offers you all kinds of challenges, and I always thought I was trained to face them, but I admit, today I was not prepared for such an event. Many years have already passed, all my life I have been like an open book, both for you and for my colleagues from Romania. You know my work well, including my personal life”, said Professor Gheorghe Bumbu.

At the end of the ceremony, Professor Gheorghe Bumbu – Doctor Honoris Causa of Nicolae Testemitanu University – held an interesting lecture on New Developments in Urogynecology. 

The event was attended by members of the University Senate, the Department of Urology and Surgical Nephrology, the Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Human Reproduction, the Society of Urologists, the Association of Obstetricians-Gynecologists and the Society of Andrology and Sexual Health from the Republic of Moldova.

Professor Gheorghe Bumbu was born on April 17, 1952. He graduated from the Faculty of General Medicine of ”Iuliu Hatieganu” Cluj-Napoca University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania, in 1977. In the period 1979-1982, he continued his professional development, studying the methods of diagnosis and treatment in urology at Fundeni Clinical Institute, Prof. Dr. Theodor Burghele Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, and obtaining a specialist doctor certificate. 

In 1982, he began his professional career as an urologist at Oradea County Emergency Clinical Hospital, where he is working until now. His persistence and exceptional human qualities have helped him to succeed in his career from specialist doctor, primary doctor, and head of department to medical director of the Hospital. 

Dr. Gheorghe Bumbu is one of the promoters of the private medical system in Romania. Since 1992, he has run a urological practice in Oradea. In addition to a vast clinical and managerial activity, marked by excellence, the distinguished professor has also carried out an extensive scientific activity focused on urological and urogynecological surgery. 

In 1995, he defended his doctoral thesis in medical sciences on the topic Treatment of Posterior Urethral Strictures at Timisoara University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania. He published over 170 works of high scientific value in the country and abroad and participated in numerous conferences, congresses, symposia and other national and international scientific forums of urology and urogynecology.

With a rich practical experience and deep theoretical knowledge of the professional field, doctor and scientist Gheorghe Bumbu decided to embrace the teaching profession. Thus, in 1998 he was hired by competition as an Associate Professor at Oradea University, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Surgical Disciplines, with teaching in Romanian and English. Here he fully demonstrated his professional and human qualities, obtaining the scientific-didactic title of university professor (2001). During his career, Dr. Bumbu managed to attend the refresher-training courses in renal transplantation technique, laser therapy in urology and extracorporeal lithotripsy, to obtain the certification in ultrasound and high percutaneous endoscopic surgery, the master's degree in European public health management and the certificate of complementary studies in urogynecology. Along with Dr. Szabo Bela, Professor Gheorghe Bumbu is considered the founder of Urogynecology – a new medical specialty in Romania. 

His extraordinary organizational qualities and increased interest in research and innovation were highly appreciated by the University's administration, who in 2004 entrusted him with the responsible position of vice-rector for scientific activity. At the same time, starting from 2005, professor Bumbu has also served as president of the Board of Directors of the Clinical Hospital of Pneumoftisiology. From 2009 to 2012, with great wisdom and dedication, he performed his duties as dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Oradea University.

At the same time, he held other responsible positions at the national and international level: president of the Society of Urogynecology, vice-president of the Romanian Association of Urology, member of the European Association of Urology, the International Urological Association, the Romanian College of Physicians, the Editorial Board of the Romanian Journal of Urology, coordinator of the Department of Gynecological Urology, etc.

Over the years, Professor Bumbu has carried out a vast didactic, scientific, managerial and surgical activity, being concerned with urological surgery, as well as practical urogynecology. For his complex activity, Professor Gheorghe Bumbu was decorated with the Order of Sanitary Merit in the rank of Knight and appreciated with the following honorary titles: honorary member of the Central European Association of Urology, Associate Professor of ”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova, Professor Emeritus of Oradea University etc.