Published: 30.03.2021.

Valdis Zatlers

Personal data

Nationality: Latvian
Citizenship: Citizen of the Republic of Latvia
Date of Birth: 22 March,1955

Education

  • 1990 - 1991 6 months' professional training in orthopedia in Yale University and Syracuse University, USA
  • 1973 - 1979 Specialty of physician, Riga Institute of Medicine
  • 1962 - 1973 Riga Secondary School No. 50, Latvia

Language knowledge

  • Latvian
  • English
  • Russian

Work experience

  • 08.07.2007 - 07.07.2011 President of Latvia      
  • 2004 - 08.07.2007 Board Chairman, State Limited Liability Company Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics   
  • 1998 - 2004 Director, Board Chairman, non-profit organization State Limited Liability Company Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics
  • 1994 - 1998 Director, State Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics
  • 1995 - 1999 Co-ordinator from the Latvian side in a Swiss Confederation Assistance Project 
  • 1985 - 1994 Head of the Traumatology Department, Riga City Hospital No.2
  • 1979 - 1985 Traumatologist - orthopaedist, Riga Hospital No.2

International professional activities

  • 2004 - 2007 Lectures on knee joint endoprosthetics and bone tissue transplantation in Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia
  • 2002 Participant of the international research on knee joint endoprosthetics
  • 1993 - to date Member of the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISACOS)
  • 1992 Honorary member of the Georgian Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

International research reports

  • 2006 Congress of the Hungarian Association of Orthopaedics Association
  • 2002, 2004 Congress of the Orthopaedist Association of Central Europe
  • 2004 25-year Experience Symposium of Zweimuller Endoprothesis
  • 2002 Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology on Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy
  • 2001 Congress of the European Federation of the Associations of Orthopaedists
  • 2001 Congress of the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS)
  • 2001 International Congress on Shoulder Surgery
  • 1994 Arthroscopy Congress of Poland         

Professional activities

  • 2003 - 2008 President of the Latvian Association of Traumatologists and Orthopaedists   
  • 1994 - 1998 Vice President of the Latvian Association of Arthroscopy, Chairman of the Certification Commission 
  • 1990 - 1993 Founder and President of the Latvian Association of Arthroscopy

Public activities

  • 1988 - 1989 Board Member of the Latvian Popular Front
  • 1988 - 1989 Activist for the renewal of the Latvian Physicians Association, Board Member

State awards

  • 2011 Order of the Star of Romania, With Chain (Romania)
  • 2011 Order of Vytautas the Great, With the Golden Chain (Lithuania)
  • 2010 Order of the White Rose, With Chain (Finland)
  • 2009 Victory Order of St George (Georgia)
  • 2009 Heydar Aliyev Order, With Chain (Azerbaijan)
  • 2009 Ismoili Samoni Order, With Chain (Tajikistan)
  • 2009 The Order and Chain of Isabel, the Catholic (Spain)
  • 2009 The Order of the Cross of St Mary’s Land (Estonia)
  • 2008 The Knightly Order Pro Merito Melitensi of the Sovereign Military Hospital Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
  • 2008 The Order of Special Service to the Fatherland (Uzbekistan)
  • 2008 The Order of Friendship, First Degree (Kazakhstan)
  • 2008 The Grand Order of King Tomislav, First Grade, With the Ribbon and Great Star (Croatia)
  • 2008 The Order of Yaroslav the Wise, First Grade (Ukraine)
  • 2008 The Order of Three Stars, First Grade, With Chain (Latvia)
  • 2008 The Order of Viesturs, First Grade (Latvia)
  • 2008 The Cross of Recognition, First Grade (Latvia)
  • 2007 Three-Star Order, fourth class

Awards

  • 2010 A gold medal, "For Achievements," from the National Fire-Fighting and Rescue Service
  • 2010 A medal from the Latvian Associationof Reserve Officers in honour of the organisation's 10th anniversary
  • 2009 Acommemorative medallion in honour of the 90th anniversary of the Latvian Border Guard, Latvia
  • 2009 A medal of achievement from the Baltic Defence College, Estonia
  • 2008 A medal of honour from the local government of Mirafrore in the city of Lima, Peru
  • 1993 Prize from International Arthroscopy Association (IAA) for the largest contribution into the development of arthroscopy in emerging countries

Honorary Titles

  • 2011 An Honorary doctorate from the University of Klaipeda (Lithuania)
  • 2010 An Honorary doctorate from the Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia)
  • 2009 An Honorary Doctorate from the John Paul II Lublin Catholic University (Poland)
  • 2009 Honorary Membership in the University of Latvia (Latvia)
  • 2009 Patronage of the European Academy of Science and Art (Austria)
  • 2009 An Honorary Doctorate from the Yerevan State University (Armenia)
  • 2008 An Honorary Professorship at the National Governance Academy (Kazakhstan)

Other important information

  • May - June, 1986 Medical Service Officer, Work on the Elimination of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Catastrophe