Evaluation of the Latvian Medical Academy Curriculums
Individual report about the Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric
Study Programme
1. Goals and aims: To teach more on the undergraduate level of pediatric disciplines:
growth a development of child organism, children propedeutics, tactics in diagnostics and
treatment: special attention to child infections,child surgery. The pediatric disciplines
start from the third course and these give additional loud to curriculum for the students
who have chosen the speciality in future as pediatrician.
2. Structure and division of the curriculum: Undergraduate curriculum is
overlouded with infections diseases, surgery. Not much attention to psychiatry,
immunology, clinical pharmacology.
3. Educational process and assessment: It seems, that undergraduate separate
teaching of pediatricians is not so necessary as it has been in Soviet Union.
3. Research, involvment of students: Pediatrics has also after diploma 3 years
internship-residency training and there is no necessity to teach pediatric disciplines as
obligatory to everybody in undergraduate level. The pediatric disciplines should be
electives (options) - B or C level to the medical students. The residency training should
give speciality to medical graduates.
Conclusion: To accredite the pediatric program for two years to change it on
undergraduate level possible to category B or C disciplines.
Riga, 08.06. 2000
ProK Lembit Allikjjhets
University of Tartu
INDIVIDUAL REPORT ABOUT PAEDIATRICS STUDY PROGRAMME IN
MEDICINE IN MEDICAL ACADEMY of LATVIA
I visited Medical Academy of Latvia like member of the joint Evaluation
Commission for the Faculty of Post-graduate education. I read written
curriculum. I have possibility to discuss with administration of Latvian Academy
of Medicine, teaching staff and students about this Program, training, research
work and relations in Academy. Also I can saw methodological provision:
classrooms, lectures rooms, reading halls, library, electronic documents etc.
Goals and aims of the study programme. This programme is to prepare students
in the 3 paediatric specialities: in paediatrics, in children infectious diseases and in
children surgical diseases. In Faculty of Paediatrics students studied basic general
disciplines in the first 2 years. From 3rd year they studied by there selective
specialities.
Structure and division of the study programme. From 3rd till 6th year students of
Paediatric Faculty studied propedeutics, pathological physiology, pharmacology,
internal and surgical diseases more adapted on children body (from birth up to the
age of 18).
By international standards the undegraduate programmes consists from three
subject blocks:
1) block of general humanitarian and social education (this part is mainly in the
1st and 2nd study year);
2) block of general subjects of a studied field of science;
3) block of special development in a chosen type of science. In the programmes I
can found all studies subjects by this classification, but disciplines are unequal.
By these reasons they are distributed in the compulsory, optional and free choice
subjects of study. I can't found this distribution; I can't found free choices subjects
of study also.
The educational process and assessment. During course study students should
be passed various tests, practical skills examination, writing clinical
documentation, state and final examination etc.
I don't understand aim of postgraduate studies (residency) in same disciplines. For
example: in 3rd, 4th, 5l , 6th year undergraduate studies in Paediatrics and same 3
years (132 credits) postgraduate studies; in 5th and 6th year undergraduate studies in
children surgical diseases and 5 year (220 credit points!) studies in paediatric
surgery.
Research. Only in a 6th year I found involvement students in research. But
noteworthy, those students are involved in there scientific and research projects by
students scientific association.
Feedback. To ensure the necessary level of undergraduate studies, no less than
50% of the teachers teaching each block of study programmes must to have a
scientific degree or a pedagogical / scientific title. In Paediatric study Programmes
I found, that only 34% of teachers have scientific / pedagogical degree.
Conclusions and recommendations:
> Undergraduate studies in Paediatric Faculty must be distributed in
compulsory (obligatory), optional (elective) and free choice subjects of
study in the each undergraduate study year;
> Teaching staff must be no less than 50% with scientific degree or a
pedagogical/scientific title;
> All profile of Paediatric doctors (surgeons, neurologists, internists,
stomatologists, infectologists etc.) must be prepared through residential
studies.
My final advice in accordance with above - mentioned points would be to give
accreditation in the Faculty of Paediatrics study programmes in Medical Academy of
Latvia for 2 years.
Assoc. Prof. Juozas Stanaitis, M.D., Ph.D.
Head of general surgery clinic of Vilnius
University, Lithuania;
President of the Baltic Association of Surgeons
Riga. 2000-06-08