International internship “Russian language in professional medical communication” at BSMU

The tradition of conducting international internships originated at the Department of Belarusian and Russian languages many years ago, and it is associated with the name of the wise leader and talented lecturer Alla Sannikova. It was under her leadership that the department gained all-Union fame. According to inspections by the Ministry of Higher Education of the USSR, the BSSR, and the Ministry of Health of Belarus, the department was recognized as one of the best in the country in organizing the teaching of the Russian language to foreign students, becoming a base for internships for lecturers of Russian as a foreign language at medical and other universities.

Today, the academic staff under the leadership of head of the department, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Tatyana Melnikova continues the traditions laid down by the best masters of the older generation. Thus, as part of events dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Department of Belarusian and Russian Languages, an international internship “Russian language in professional medical communication” was held from the 2nd to the 4th of October. In order to exchange experience, improve skills, fulfill contractual obligations in accordance with the international agreement on cooperation between universities, representatives of Saratov State Medical University named after V. I. Razumovsky visited Belarusian State Medical University (head of the Department of Russian and Latin Languages Larisa Prokofieva, Doctor of Philology, Professor; Associate Professor of the Department of Russian and Latin Languages Anna Belyaeva, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor; Anna Levitskaya, senior lecturer of the Department of Russian and Latin languages; Marina Filtsova, senior lecturer of the Department of Russian and Latin languages) and Ivanovo State Medical University (head of the Russian Language Department Elena Orlova, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor).

During the visit, lecturers from medical universities of the Russian Federation got acquainted with the peculiarities of the educational process at the Department of Belarusian and Russian Languages of Belarusian State Medical University, attended master classes, as well as classes on Russian as a foreign language by Lyudmila Merenkova, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Career Guidance and Pre-University Training. During the internship, the guests participated in the methodological lounge “Tutorials at the departments of BSMU/SSMU/ISMU”, in a meeting dedicated to the scientific achievements of the departments of Belarusian State Medical University, Saratov, Ivanovo State Medical Universities.

On the 3rd and 4th of October, as part of the internship, colleagues from medical universities of Russia took an active part in the work of sections of the XXIII International Scientific and Practical Conference “Technologies for teaching Russian as a foreign language and diagnostics of speech development”, as well as in the IV International X Republican student readings “Dialogue of languages and cultures."

A bright and, of course, memorable event for the guests was the gala concert dedicated to the anniversary of the department.

At the end of the visit, the participants thanked the organizers of the internship, expressing hope for further fruitful cooperation and active interaction between universities as part of the implementation of the state project of the Russian Federation to promote the Russian language and education in Russian abroad.

Author: Irina Andros, senior lecturer at the Department of Belarusian and Russian Languages of BSMU
Photos are provided by the author
Translation: Diana Petrushkevich-Hourou