Medical education in Belarus meets international standards - American scientist

September 17, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Medical education in Belarus meets international standards. This point of view was expressed today to journalists by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Co-Chief of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Vladimir Zelman before his lecture for students and faculty of Vitebsk State Medical University, BELTA correspondent reports. The renowned scientist, who, despite his 73 years, leads an active scientific and practical life, familiarized himself with the university's material and technical base and its faculty. He admitted to journalists that if he had to start his medical education anew, he would choose the Vitebsk university for it. "There is a wonderful atmosphere for acquiring knowledge here, computer technologies are used in teaching, distance learning is widespread, which allows scientists from other countries to give lectures to students. The education is conducted according to world standards," stated Vladimir Zelman. In his opinion, scientists from different countries need to communicate more widely and share their knowledge. Actively working on the Russian project to create an innovation center in Skolkovo, Vladimir Zelman believes it is necessary to involve scientists from the former USSR countries, including Belarus, more widely in its participation. In Vitebsk, the American professor gave a lecture "The Human Genome and Genomic Medicine: 10 Years Later." As noted at the university, lectures by foreign scientists are not uncommon for the educational institution. In the last academic year alone, medical luminaries from Russia, Italy, Germany, and Israel shared their knowledge with future doctors. A few weeks ago, an educational seminar was conducted by American professor Stephen Tyring from the University of Texas, who gave lectures in English. Following Vladimir Zelman, in a couple of days, the lecture podium will be occupied by the head of the Association of Doctors of the Republic of Lithuania, Professor, Head of the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Oncohematology of Kaunas University of Medicine, Litauras Labanauskas. Vitebsk Medical University has 7 faculties, with over 6,000 students and trainees from 22 countries. The university has 63 departments, employing 60 doctors and 205 candidates of sciences, including 41 professors and 151 associate professors, totaling 538 faculty members. The degrees awarded upon graduation from VSMU are recognized by the World Health Organization, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG, Philadelphia, USA), the Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (Lithuania), the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the Republic of Lebanon, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB, Dallas, USA), and the Medical Councils of India, Sri Lanka, and Ireland. -0-