Professor Dragomir Kosoric, MD, PhD (1922 – 2015)

On twentieth of December 2015 in Sarajevo, died one doyen of medicine and health care, a student of the fi rst generation of Medical Faculty, University of Sarajevo, distinguished professor Dragomir Kosoric. Professor Kosoric was born on June 19, 1922 in Kovin in Vojvodina (Serbia). He graduated high school in Sarajevo during war in 1941. As a student of the National Liberation Struggle he was wounded in the fi ghting for the liberation of Western Serbia. Most of the war years he spent in Uzice and Belgrade and was demobilized in 1946. He started the studies at the Medical Faculty in 1946/1947 and graduated in 1953. During the study of medicine, he was a demonstrator on subjects Anatomy with professor Hajrudin Hadziselimovic and Physiology and Biochemistry with professor Aleksandar Sabovljev. After the compulsory internship in Clinical hospital in Sarajevo he worked in Children’s clinic in Sarajevo and Ilidza. In 1955 he started residency in pediatrics at the Clinic of Pediatrics, which was then led by professor Milivoje Sarvan. In 1957 he was elected to assistant lecturer in Pediatrics, was re-elected in 1960, after passing the specialist exam in Pediatrics in 1958 and the passing the phases of academic elections for the subject of Pediatrics: assistant professor in 1963, associate professor in 1968 and full professor in 1975. After completing the specialist exam in Pediatrics, 1960 opted for studying hematology, cytology, hematology and pediatric hepatology, as Clinic of Pediatrics did not have such experts. He habilitated in 1963 on topic “Acute leucosis at children’s age.” After habilitation he went on education with a respected professor Stanoje Stefanovic in Belgrade and professor E. Hauptman in Zagreb and then at six-month training in Paris, with professor D. Alagille’s (University Hospital Saint Vincent de Paul) and professor JP Soulier (National Blood Transfusion Centre), with scholarship from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the period 1963/1964. Also studied with professor G. Mathe in Paris in 1976. Education in these reputable centers helped professor Kosoric to raise Sarajevo School of Children’s Hematology to extremely high scientifi c and practical level, due to which even today has this rating. Professor Kosoric until his last days of life was always ready to give advice to younger colleagues, which was the trait that has adorned him and due to which he enjoyed a reputation and respect from us, his students. He never passed me, because we were neighbors, without sharing “few words” in a few minutes of conversation, and he was particularly happy to take the new issues of Medical Archives to read them and have in his library. He was also a member of editorial boards of several scientifi c journals (Yugoslav Pediatrics, Pharmaca, Bulletin of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, etc.). He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and other scientifi c and professional publications and congress proceedings. In addition to the scientifi c associations and bodies of these associations at the local, national and international level, he was also highly engaged in social-political sphere. During the time he was leading the Pediatric Clinic (19771979) and the Department of Pediatrics (1982-1984), Pediatric Clinic in Sarajevo gained a signifi cant reputation and produced many generations of well-trained pediatricians throughout the country. He also teaches Pediatrics at medical faculties in Tuzla and Banja Luka, and the Faculty of Dentistry in Sarajevo. A signifi cant contribution to the development of pediatrics in Bosnia and Herzegovina gave professor Dragan Kosoric, which most likely, all his pupils will remember due to his noble character, selfl ess carrier of knowledge, professional and scientifi c, but also a great humanist. Numerous awards which he received are: the Order of Work with Golden Wreath in 1967, the Order of Brotherhood and Unity in 1975, and number of diplomas and plaques at the level of the former Yugoslavia, are arguments for my statements. Especially I will remember the Celebration of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo 30th anniversary, when we, professor Kosoric and myself were tasked by the then management (professors: Esref Sarajlic, Zdravko Besarovic, Mladen Scepovic, Muhamed Teftedarija, Rifat Tvrtkovic, Hajrudin Hadziselimovic, etc.) and perform this tas “professionally” to the satisfaction of all then invited to a festive dinner. We sang, each in their own way and at its option, professor Kosoric in front of the 1st and I in front of the 25th generation, he one old city song and I sevdalinka song, as Professor Kosoric love and know how to enjoy your life. After this we will remember him. Sarajevo, January 20th, 2016. Professor Izet Masic, MD, PhD IN MEMORIAM