Competences of basic medical education for countries participating in the Bologna Process are determined by the TUNING/MEDINE's learning outcomes, which correspond to the European Qualifications Framework.
In curriculum, during the six years of study, it is necessary to provide at least 10 credits for scientific skills.
Course learning outcomes:
General competencies
General competencies
Knowledge and understanding - After the completion of the study course the student knows how to develop research hypothesis and research proposal; knows different types of research designs, the ethical principles in research with human participation, as well as in studies conducted on animals. He/she is familiar with the basic principles of processing and presentation of statistical data in biomedical studies.
Skills of applying knowledge into practice - After the completion of the course, the student has the ability of mobilizing available informational resources for scientific problems solving, can conduct scientific literature searching using informational resources, select key words and use filters for searching, can provide analyses and evaluating of the scientific work; Can present conducted analytical work and find the scientific journals and the researchers scientific productivity indicators.
Conclusion Skills - After completing the course, student can make a conclusion on the basis of analysis of scientific literature, assess the research question and draw up conclusions regarding necessary research design, ethical issues and statistical analysis.
Communication skills - The course helps students to elaborate the oral and written communication skills, as well as team working, negotiation and agreement achievement skills in professional matters. Student can make comments on important medical issues and has ability to summarize complex information briefly.
Values - The student values the importance of scientific research proper planning and implementation, which provides reliability of the research results. Also, student understands importance of ethical standards in research.
Field-specific competences and knowledge
After the completion of the course student knows biomedical research planning, can find interesting scientific resources, can construct scientific article components according to the logical scheme and can make public presentation regarding the conducted research.
Skills of putting the field-specific knowledge into practice - after the completion of the course student can: use the informational technologies and library resources rationally; analyze the obtained information; plan and conduct the innovative research under the guidance of supervisor; study the world-approved modern methods necessary for conducting of the chosen research (as well as get acquainted with other different modern methods for scientific problems solving); make the critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation of new, complex and controversial ideas and approaches; can process and deliver the complex and disputable information to colleagues.
Learning, Teaching and Evaluation:
The following forms of teaching are important:
- Experimental modeling of diseases;
- Laboratory training;
- Participation in scientific research;
- Presentations.
The essential requirement for result-oriented learning is the initial involvement of the student in scientific work. Participation of student in research is defined in Curriculum. Usually, in the first years, students teach the basics of scientific research, they are involved in the research activities of the departments (data collecting, distribution of questionnaires, etc.). It is important that students learn not only critical assessment of scientific information, but also the main ways of research planning, management, analysis, and results dissemination. Students attend and participate in departments/faculties scientific conferences.
Recommendations on assessment of learning outcomes and competences are detailed in the WFME and MEDINE joint document - "Global Standards for Improvement of Quality of Medical Education", taking into consideration the European specifications, and comply with the competences developed by TUNING / MEDINE.
Raising the quality of education
The way to increase the quality of medical education is an integrated curriculum that includes 11 steps.
Integrated learning is the essential requirement for the student's early involvement in scientific research. The research component is provided in an integrated curriculum.
Introduction of integrated learning implies the introduction of new methods of student evaluation (OSCE, Portfolio).
One of the modern methods of evaluation of portfolio student activity is:
• Quality of the independent work performed by the student;
• Assessment of students' independent activity;
• Documents reflecting student's research activity from 1 to 6 years.
The portfolio reflects the current and final assessments of student academic achievements, the student's clinical thinking, scientific skills, strengths and weaknesses of general professional qualities, reveals its shortcomings and ways to correct them.