In previous years, a few select students of the Faculty of Medicine have been the recipients of scientific awards like "Medical Laurels" of Polish Academy of Science or "Primus Inter Pares" - Best Student of the Polish Republic in the Lodz Region. Science and research Medical University of Lodz is one of the major medical research centers in Poland. In one academic year over a hundred research grants are awarded, as well as numerous research contracts. At present substantial number of individual research projects are being conducted. Medical University of Lodz has been carrying extensive international scientific cooperation with such foreign academic and research centers as: The Catholic University in Nijmegen, Netherlands Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States University of Toronto Humboldt Universitat, Berlin, Germany Friedrich-Alexander Universitat, Erlangen, Germany King's College London, UK Universite degli Studi di Milano, Italy The Human Craniofacial Institute in Dallas, United States The Howard Hughes Medical Center, United States The University in Bielefeld, Germany Universite Claude Bernard, Lyon, France University of Kuopio, Finland Friedrich-Alexander Universitat Erlangen, Germany The majority of University chairs, clinics and departments directly co-operate with foreign centers through staff Exchange programs. Clinical activity At present, Medical University has over 1600 hospital beds in Teaching Hospitals that provide medical services for patients, being the essential base for research work and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. University Teaching Hospitals and University-affiliated department constitute a basic source for highly specialized diagnostic and treatment services provided by professors, associate professors and specialists of various medical disciplines who take care of health needs of the Lodz region community and promote health-related programs. Students' academic activities Students of the Medical University take part in ERASMUS – European international academic Exchange program. Within last few years there were almost 25 incoming students from France, Portugal, Spain and other parts of Europe and over 100 outgoing students in the frame of this exchange program. Students' Scientific Society has been involved in active popularization of research work among students, organization of scientific conferences and co-ordination of Students' Scientific Groups Faculties University had merged its faculties into three larger, list of faculties before merging: Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Faculty of Pharmacy Faculty of Physiotherapy Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty of Military Medicine And after merging: Faculty of Medicine with Department of Dentistry and Department of Biomedical Sciences Faculty of Pharmacy Faculty