The prospects for further cooperation between Belarus and Russia in the field of medicine are the key to the health of future generations

For many years now, the traditions of summer student exchanges have not ceased to be relevant, gathering more and more “charged” students who are ready to gain invaluable practical experience under the guidance of leading Belarusian and Russian specialists in various fields of medicine, replenish their life experience, get acquainted with the Belarusian and Russian cultures and, of course, make good friends. In July, the best of the best students from the medical and pediatric faculties were accepted by universities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Ryazan and Kirov.

The oldest medical university of Russia - the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, according to long-term established practice, met medical students and pediatric students in the first two weeks of July. Future medical doctors became part of the teams of the City Clinical Hospital named after S. P. Botkin, City Clinical Hospital named after S. S. Yudin, University Clinical Hospital No. 4 of Sechenov University. Under the guidance of experienced clinical staff, students learned many new practical skills, which significantly expanded their knowledge and competencies in therapy, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology. The students participated in the diagnostic and treatment processes, helped with the preparation of medical documentation, studied modern methods of treatment and prevention of diseases, and assisted in operations. Describing her impressions of surgical practice, student Vlada Gromyko notes: “During the “internship” I repeated the theory, learned new aspects of the treatment of surgical pathologies and mastered many practical skills.”

“The practice gave us the opportunity not only to apply theoretical knowledge into practice, but also to become familiar with new methods and approaches in therapeutic work!” – this is the feedback left by students Alexandra Devyatkova and Maria Polishchuk.

“There were many interesting and sometimes difficult clinical cases, thanks to which I discovered new aspects of treatment and patient management,” student Vasilina Mamochkina notes the benefits of an “internship” in obstetrics and gynecology in Moscow.

The practice in pediatrics took place at the Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 9 named after G. N. Speransky and the City Clinical Hospital No. 67 named after L. A. Vorokhobov. The students had the opportunity to study the distinctive features of the Russian healthcare system, approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with various diseases, and practice in various departments, such as the infectious diseases department of the perinatal center, the intensive care unit for newborns and others.

Students Varvara Gapanovich and Tatyana Zakharchenko formulated their opinion about pediatric practice as follows: “I was very impressed by the scale of medical care provided to newborn children in the intensive care unit. A team of highly qualified doctors not only demonstrated their professionalism, but also taught, patiently answering every single one of our questions.” “I gained a lot of experience working at the bedside of young patients. It was nice to see books by Belarusian colleagues on the tables of practicing doctors. I took note of new algorithms in the diagnosis and treatment of various infectious diseases, which I will use in my own medical practice,” add students Vladislav Domarad and Mikhail Filippovich. Third-year students of the Faculty of Medicine were lucky enough to undergo nursing practice with manipulation techniques at the North-Western State Medical University named after I. I. Mechnikov, at the E. E. Eichwald Clinic, in the Northern capital of Russia. The students mastered the practical skills of nurses. They were also acquainted with the documentation of the departments, given the opportunity to participate in dressing patients after surgery, inserting IVs, making various types of injections, etc.

The guys were especially impressed by the work in the Department of Cardiac Surgery under the leadership of Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vyacheslav Kravchuk and in the Department of Abdominal Surgery under the leadership of Head of the Surgical Department, Associate Professor of the Department of Faculty Surgery, Doctor of Medical Sciences Inna Kotkas. Lecturers of the departments allowed Belarusians to take part in dressing patients, observe the work of surgeons during operations, and gave lectures to students.

In their free time from medical practice, the future doctors managed to take a walk around St. Petersburg, visited the Hygiene Museum and took an excursion to the Yusupov Palace. “The practice was at the highest level, its organization by the university was excellent!” - this is the enthusiastic review of student Yulia Bytsko about practice in one of the oldest Russian cities - Ryazan, at the local State Medical University named after Academician I. P. Pavlov, at the Ryazan Regional Clinical Hospital. BSMU students got acquainted with the peculiarities of the work of the surgical hospital of their Russian colleagues. The students underwent surgical practice, during which they attended and assisted in operations in departments of various specializations (purulent, general surgical, urological, X-ray endovascular, maxillofacial surgery). They also carried out dressings, interviewed patients, and, together with doctors, drew up a plan for their examination and treatment.

The host party also organized excursions to Konstantinovo (the village where Sergei Yesenin was born and spent his childhood), to the Museum-Estate of Academician Ivan Pavlov, and to the Ryazan Kremlin.

Pediatric students were lucky enough to have an internship at Samara State Medical University and admire the left bank of Volga for the first time. Within the period of two weeks at the Samara Regional Clinical Hospital named after V.D. Seredavin, the students gained valuable experience from their Russian colleagues, were able to prove themselves and demonstrate their knowledge, and worked with the latest equipment in the Simulation Center of Samara State Medical University.

In addition to work, students had the opportunity to study the history of the city, visit historical museums, and see local attractions and architectural monuments. A pleasant “bonus” was meeting local and foreign students.

This year, students of the medical and pediatric faculties underwent medical practice in the beautiful city of Kirov, at Kirov State Medical University. The future pediatricians spent part of their practical training at Kirov Regional Perinatal Center, where, together with neonatologists, they carried out the initial examination of newborns, their assessment on the Apgar scale and all the necessary manipulations for newly born babies. In the department of anesthesiology and neonatal intensive care, students became familiar with the peculiarities of treatment and nursing of premature infants, as well as full-term babies born with congenital pathology.

The second week of practice was organized at the Children's Clinical Diagnostic Center in the city of Kirov. Together with functional diagnostic doctors, students interpreted ECG, EEG and ENMG, and together with pediatricians they carried out an initial examination of patients admitted to the center’s day hospital.

Future general practitioners were sent to practice at the Center for Cardiology and Neurology. “Every day was tightly structured: in the morning they came for five minutes, then there was a round in the intensive care unit. Then, together with our doctor, we went on rounds, we were given the opportunity to talk to the patients ourselves and examine them. We also took part in instrumental research methods (electrophysiological study of the heart, treadmill test, tilt test), were present when patients performed cardioversion, and even tried to do it ourselves under the supervision of a doctor,” this is how student Elena Kruchenok describes a typical day of practice.

The Kirov partner made every effort to make the students’ stay interesting. Excursions were organized to five museums in the city of Kirov: the Museum of Cosmonautics, the Museum of Ice Cream (with a master class and tasting), the Museum of the History of Public Education, the Art Museum, and also an excursion in Diorama.

There was also a meeting with the rector of Kirov State Medical University, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Lev Zheleznov, during which the guys talked with him in a relaxed atmosphere, introducing their Alma mater and telling them where they see themselves in the profession.

And the leading medical university of Belarus has traditionally opened its doors to Russian students from Moscow, Ryazan, Kirov, who came for new knowledge, practical skills and vivid impressions. Medical students from Kirov State Medical University and Ryazan State Medical University named after Academician I.P. Pavlov opened the summer internship season at our university, arriving in the second half of June.

Kirov residents chose a therapeutic practice, which was organized at the Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, and Ryazan residents preferred surgery, which they completed at the Department of Surgery and Transplantology. A varied program was prepared for the students, which included working with patients, participating in diagnosis and determining treatment tactics, attending operations, practicing skills and abilities at the Republican Center for Professional Certification and Simulation Training of Medical and Pharmaceutical Workers at the Institute of Advanced Training and Retraining of Healthcare Personnel of Belarusian State Medical University.

Exactly a month later, in the second half of July, future general practitioners and future pediatricians from the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and tomorrow’s medical students from State Medical University of Turkmenistan named after Myrat Garryev completed their summer practices.

Students of Sechenov University had the opportunity to undergo internships in various sections and visit the leading clinics of Minsk - the clinical bases of Belarusian State Medical University: Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology, the Republican Scientific and Practical Center "Cardiology", the 1st City Clinical Hospital, the 10th City Clinical Hospital hospital, Minsk City Clinical Oncology Center, 3rd City Children's Clinical Hospital, City Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital. Students from Moscow were able not only to improve their practical skills in surgery, therapy, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, but also, according to their personal preferences, to intern with our best specialists in the fields of neurology, cardiology, oncology, pediatric nephrology, pediatric infectious diseases, and pediatric neurology.

And our good friends from Turkmenistan spent two weeks mastering their skills and abilities in managing therapeutic patients at the Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Rheumatology with a course of advanced training and retraining at Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology. A practical training was also organized for them at the Republican Center for Professional Certification and Simulation Training of Medical and Pharmaceutical Workers.

Deans of the medical and pediatric faculties and the academic staff of the departments did a great work to make the students’ summer internship an unforgettable experience that they will tell their colleagues about and will certainly want to return to Minsk again.

About future work, about what they liked in Belarus, what they will use in their homeland, about the hospitality of the Belarusian people and the cleanliness of our capital, about gratitude to the lecturers who supervised the students and the university management – this is all, what the students talked about at the meetings with the rector of BSMU , Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Sergei Rubnikovich, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vasily Rudenok, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Mikhail Revtovich, Dean of the Faculty of Pediatrics, Candidate of Medical Sciences Natalya Panulina and Head of the Department of International Relations Varvara Boyko.

Vivid memories, certificates of internship and, of course, numerous photos will be left forever.

Author: Varvara Boyko, Head of BSMU Department of International Relations

Photos: Aleksandr Novikov, Olga Yorshik, Natallia Gurina, Alla Leshok, Oksana Kurbeko and from the personal archives of students

Translation: Diana Petrushkevich -Hourou