Elma Selimi – from a medical student in North Mitrovica to one of Serbia’s top young doctors

From her earliest childhood memories of the doctor who diagnosed her, through her medical studies in North Mitrovica, to being selected as one of the 100 best medical school graduates in Serbia, Dr Elma Selimi’s journey has been marked by perseverance, self-belief and a thirst for knowledge. Today, as a medical doctor and PhD student in medical sciences, she sees her professional future in pediatric neurology and encourages young people not to give up on their goals and to choose carefully the people they surround themselves with.

Elma Selimi’s love of medicine did not begin in the classroom or with her first encounters with medical literature. Its roots go back to her childhood, when, as a girl who was frequently ill, she met a doctor whose actions left a lasting impression on her. At the time, she wrote down on a small piece of paper a wish that would, years later, become her vocation.

“I was always drawn to medicine because it inspired me. What led me to choose medicine in particular was the fact that I was often ill as a child. It was then that Professor Ivanovski, right here in Belgrade, diagnosed me, literally in a hallway. Somehow, that was the moment when I wrote on a little piece of paper: ‘One day, I’m going to be like him,’” Selimi recalled in an interview with Kosovo Online.

Born on April 22, 1997, in Tutin, she completed primary school in her hometown and secondary medical school in Novi Pazar. At both levels of education, she was named student of the generation. She then continued her education at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Pristina, temporarily seated in Kosovska Mitrovica, where she graduated with a grade point average of 9.97 and was named student of the generation in 2022.

Her decision to study in Mitrovica, she says, was connected both to the area she came from and to her desire to receive a high-quality medical education.

“As for enrolling at the faculty in Kosovska Mitrovica, first of all, I was born in Tutin and completed secondary medical school in Novi Pazar. The proximity, the mentality and the geographical connection were what prompted me to choose that faculty. And why Kosovska Mitrovica in particular? Because I knew that the quality of teaching there was high, that distinguished experts and professors taught there and that I could acquire the knowledge I deserved,” she explained.

Studying in Mitrovica, however, was not always easy. Circumstances were sometimes unpredictable, but Elma says she knew from the outset what her priority was. She did not allow uncertainty to overshadow the reason she had come to the faculty in the first place.

“Sometimes the circumstances were not ideal, but it depends on how you look at them. If you have good people who explain to you how things work, then you can feel at ease in that respect. As for the situation itself, it was always unpredictable, but what interested me was knowledge. Because, as I have already said, knowledge was my priority, and that is what I received,” Selimi said.

First doctor in the family, with the support of friends

Behind her outstanding GPA and recognition as the top student lie not only years of study, but also clearly defined goals, discipline and the support of people who believed in her.

“I think it is very important to understand that life is too important to be lived small, and that a person needs to have long-term goals, because otherwise short-term frustrations will overwhelm them. From the very first day I enrolled at the faculty, I wanted to maintain a high GPA. The first top grade I received was in genetics, a subject in which it was difficult to earn a 10, and that set the pace. What I can say is that I come from a working-class family. I am the first doctor in my family, but without the support of friends on such a long journey, it would not have been possible. In Kosovska Mitrovica, I met an exceptional friend, Djordje Ilic, who is now a doctor as well, and somehow we walked that path through medicine together,” she said.

For Elma, success is therefore not merely an individual achievement. Behind it are years of hard work, but also people who were ready to provide support when it was needed most. She is convinced that believing in oneself and choosing the right people to have around are just as important as one’s abilities.

Speaking about the environment she comes from, she stressed that her background and mentality helped her develop determination and perseverance, qualities that proved important during her studies and on her path toward professional achievement.

“It is not only the environment that matters; the mentality that develops there is important as well. I am Gorani by origin, so my people are fighters too, from the Sar Mountains. That is why I developed a fighting spirit and perseverance that places such as Tutin and Novi Pazar instill in you. When you are a young person, someone from an even younger generation may one day see me and want to follow this path, to be brave. But what I can say is that if you do not believe in yourself and do not have the right people around you, it is difficult to achieve such great success. There are people who are friends in disguise—or rather, enemies in disguise—and they are much more dangerous because they tell you that sometimes you should give up. Those are the most dangerous ones. You must always have people who will encourage you, because we cannot make it entirely on our own. We are social beings, and support is extremely important,” Selimi said.

From military discipline to a medical career

Before enrolling in medical school, Elma voluntarily completed military service in the Serbian Armed Forces. She regards that experience as an important part of her life journey because, as she says, it was during her military service that she acquired the discipline she believes later helped her during her studies.

Her original ambition was to study medicine in Belgrade, but before doing so, she realized that she lacked precisely the quality she would later develop in the military.

“At the time, I wanted to enroll at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, believe it or not, but I lacked discipline, and that was the component I was missing. What I acquired in the military—and what I genuinely believe someone who has not voluntarily completed military service can never acquire in quite the same way—was the iron discipline that I developed. So when I went to Kosovska Mitrovica, I was truly ready both as a student and as a soldier,” Selimi said.

After graduating, she continued her academic development by enrolling in doctoral studies in medical sciences. Her interests are focused on neurology, mental health and child development, while she has chosen pediatric neurology as her particular professional field.

She gained clinical experience at the Clinical Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica and was also involved in scientific research during her education. She authored research on the prevalence and healthcare of people with primary headaches in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, as well as a paper on depression, anxiety and stress among the student population.

Her professional plans took on a new dimension when she was selected for the Serbian Ministry of Health’s “100 Best Medical School Graduates” program. Through the program, she opted for a specialization in pediatric neurology and a position at the Institute for Early Childhood Development and Inclusion in Belgrade.

She believed in the program and decided to stay in Serbia

For the young doctor, this recognition is not only confirmation of her work to date, but also an opportunity to continue her professional development in the country where she received her education. She links her decision to remain in Serbia to her confidence in the program and the idea of enabling young doctors who have demonstrated knowledge, hard work and dedication to build their professional future in the country.

“I believed in the program, and that is why I am extremely grateful to the Ministry of Health and to the minister, who had the vision to ensure that people who are diligent, hardworking, capable and persistent—which is also reflected in our grade point averages—remain in their own country. I believe Serbia deserves to have us stay here,” Selimi stressed.

At the reception for the best medical graduates, she had the honor of addressing the gathering on behalf of her generation. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of recognizing the knowledge and dedication of young doctors, as well as giving them the opportunity to pursue their professional ambitions in the country where they were educated.