Student of the Year Laura Sabīne Taurmane on her studies, determination, and holding on to her path

Writer: Ilze Āķe-Vīksne, PR project manager

When Laura Sabīne Taurmane began learning French, she found a quote that deeply resonated with her: À cœur vaillant rien d’impossible or ‘To a valiant heart, nothing is impossible’. These words perfectly capture her journey over the past six years. When Laura first came to Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU), she was a shy girl from Alūksne who was only beginning to realise how wide, intense, and demanding her chosen path could be. Today, Laura is the 2025 RSU Student of the Year. She is simultaneously studying medicine and dentistry, and has achieved an outstanding average grade of nine in both programmes. She also leads international student projects and is actively involved in research, public initiatives, and volunteer work.

What does receiving the RSU Student of the Year Award mean to you?

It is the highest recognition of my hard work over the last six years of study – especially in the year of the RSU 75th anniversary. Even more, I perceive it as recognition for what I have accomplished over the past year. Medicine is my calling in life, and it is extremely meaningful to receive such high recognition from the university during my studies.

I remember myself six years ago to be the first in our family to choose a career in medicine. Studying at RSU has changed me a lot, giving me confidence and courage. Two years ago, I received the 2023 Student of the Year Award by the Latvian Students’ Association, which particularly emphasised my courage to study at RSU as a double-degree student, as well as my work in representing student interests and the Junior Pathologists School project. This award was so special to me because it was presented by the students themselves.

Receiving the Student of the Year award, however, was a truly exciting surprise. I found out about it during an event celebrating the scholarship recipients of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation. I have been receiving the Teterev scholarship in medicine for four years now, so these events are very important to me. During the celebration, Katrīna Bērziņa, Director of the Communications Department, came up, hugged me, and shared the news. I remember that after the event, I was harrying back to my class at the Institute of Stomatology and at first, I did not even want to share the news. I guess it was the Latvian mentality of not standing out.

After the award ceremony at the Academic Meeting, congratulations came pouring in, especially from my beloved RSU 11th International Student Conference Health and Social Sciences organising team. One message that stayed particularly close to my heart came from Lilija Banceviča, a current pediatric resident: ‘Your work, attitude, and heart make this award deserved to the very last point.’ Looking back on it, I realise that it is really true.

You are studying both at the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry with outstanding results. How do you manage to combine two intensive study programmes?

The last academic year was challenging. Alongside full-time studies in two programmes, I had to manage the most ambitious RSU International Student Conference in history during the RSU Research Week, the organisation of which took up most of my time. The period from January to March was particularly difficult.

At that time, I was in my fifth year at the Faculty of Medicine - a year with the highest number of exams. In total, during the spring semester, I took 17 exams at the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry. I am also quite a perfectionist, and I cannot accept doing things superficially. However, having studied two programmes simultaneously for three years, I have learned to accept that it is impossible to do everything perfectly.

We all have 24 hours in a day. What differs are our priorities. I do not manage everything, I do not succeed at everything on the first try, and some skills simply require more time. I have learned to accept myself – 

only those, who do something, make mistakes. 

I enjoy learning and setting ambitious goals. In my third year of medical studies, when I received an honorary certificate for outstanding achievement at the Faculty of Medicine, I realised for the first time that

I can truly achieve a lot if I put my heart into it.

I suppose that is the right answer to how I manage to maintain strong academic performance.

Last year, you led the largest International Student Conference in the RSU history. What were the greatest challenges and moments of pride?

There were so many challenges that it is difficult to single out just one. One of the first was selecting and managing the Organising Committee for the 11th RSU International Student Conference (ISC) Health and Social Sciences. Under my leadership, 45 students worked together, each with their own responsibilities. Another major challenge was maintaining motivation - while the conference became a top priority for me, for others it was just one of many aspects of their lives alongside work and other projects.

Being the manager, I had to see the big picture and run everything smoothly. As the conference took place during the RSU Research Week, I was regularly collaborating with the RSU management and various departments since the autumn of 2024. It was truly valuable professional experience, as every day required working closely with RSU staff from different fields and departments. I am happy that I still have warm relationships with a few RSU colleagues and lecturers - when we meet, we hug and check in on each other. Certainly, one of the challenges was that I had no prior experience with projects of such scale.

Previously, I had led the RSU student research interest group and the Junior Pathologists School project and had done a lot of volunteer work outside the university, but being elected to this position by my fellow students in the Student Union was enormous credit in my ability to succeed.

I am particularly proud of the conference innovation Medical Wrestle, the first medical simulation championship for students in the Baltics. When this idea was first presented to me by then-students, now-doctors Aleksandrs Oborins and Rihards Seržāns, I actually thought: this is crazy, it is the wildest thing I have ever heard. But I suppose it is true that when several energetic and creative people meet and share a common goal, the result can only be positive.

One moment in the summer was particularly moving. My sister and I were sitting in a café in Riga. A student from Poland approached us, recognising me, and thanked again for the conference from a participant's point of view. During the conference in March, she enjoyed staying in Riga so much that she decided to visit it again in the summer with friends. I will never forget it, and that is probably why I agreed to be part of the Organising Committee for the 12th International Student Conference this year. I am the coordinator of the international jury.  I really enjoy selecting experts from a wide range of fields and communicating with them, as it is a wonderful opportunity to promote our university and Latvia in the vast world of science.

What motivates you when the workload becomes particularly intense?

Over time, you get used to a high workload, but of course, there have been moments when, unless the support of my parents or friends, the outcome would have been quite discouraging. I am socially very active, and I have realised that this is precisely what gives me extra energy and motivation.

Sometimes the best solution comes by taking a step back and looking at the problem from a different emotional perspective. Two years ago, I reached out to RSU students with the slogan ‘One coffee before a class, but for someone – a whole new hope!’, inviting them to donate to the Dod pieci! charity marathon. That year, the marathon’s goal was to provide immediate medical treatment to people whose lives were threatened by a lack of money. This topic resonated with me very personally, and thanks to my and the Student Union’s initiative, we managed to raise 2,000 euros in less than two weeks. We delivered the donation to the Glass Studio and were later also invited for an interview. Similarly, in December 2025, I took part in a charity marathon together with the RSU Career Guidance and Wellbeing Centre. I cannot help talking about these things: I think it is extremely important to show that we, students and future healthcare professionals, truly care about these issues.

Last year, I also became actively involved in the Divreizdivi (2x2) movement, which brings together socially and civically active young Latvians from all over the world. In the summer, I participated in my first seminar in the UK, and more recently, also in the winter seminar in Latvia. I was raised with very patriotic values, trying to uphold them also today, and the Divreizdivi camps seem to me a unique phenomenon - a chance to reflect both on my Latvian identity and to experience the vastness of the world. In December, I was feeling quite exhausted from my studies, but the winter seminar gave me a whole new energy and drive to return to the many exams in January.

The female student corporation Imeria also plays a very important role in my life. My fellow members are often the best motivation to see things through to the end. It is there that I have also developed my interests in culture, literature, music, and ballroom dancing.

How do you see your professional path in the future?

After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry, I would like to continue my studies in a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Latvia, as well as pursue doctoral studies. I am very interested in scientific research. I have also realised that I have leadership skills, and I hope to develop them further in the future. The academic environment and the clinical practice - perhaps the greatest challenge will be finding a balance between the two.

What do you wish for RSU students?

I wish them to make the most of their time as students without losing themselves. Find ways to relax, recharge batteries, and enjoy the path they have chosen. This will be important not only during their studies, but throughout their entire professional life.