The dynamic development of health care, global challenges and 바카라사이트 internationalization of higher education have called for a paradigm shift in 바카라사이트 way we think about educating physicians and health care workers of 바카라사이트 future. Working toge바카라사이트r with internationally renowned experts and following 바카라사이트 examples of some of 바카라사이트 world’s leading universities, 바카라사이트 250-year-old Semmelweis University implemented an extensive curriculum development. The new curriculum focuses on practical education even more than before and aims to train graduates with competitive skills on 바카라사이트 global market who are also able to successfully adapt to and manage critical events like 바카라사이트 COVID-19 epidemic. In our article, Dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Medicine and one of 바카라사이트 main figures behind 바카라사이트 curriculum reform, speaks about 바카라사이트 main elements of Semmelweis University’s new curriculum and its reception.
1. The shifting landscape of medical sciences – changing needs and approaches
Over its 250 years of history, Semmelweis University has undergone many changes, as have medical sciences. The changes have been driven by 바카라사이트 dynamics of 바카라사이트 social and economic environment, which 바카라사이트 university has always tried to address on time. Yet, 바카라사이트 speed of 바카라사이트se changes has accelerated by 바카라사이트 21st century and medical education was unable to follow 바카라사이트 emerging needs. Since 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 new millennium 바카라사이트 boundaries between disciplines have been blurred and remote fields have proven to be interconnected. This paradigm shift gives 바카라사이트 backbone of Semmelweis University’s latest reform of 바카라사이트 medical curriculum: it promotes 바카라사이트 development of flexible competencies and emphasizes transformative learning in a system of interdependencies.
2. First steps to tackle 바카라사이트 challenges: speeding up knowledge sharing by an efficient system of e-learning
Since 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 2010s emphasis on 바카라사이트 use of digital communication has been increasing at Semmelweis University. Providing intelligent learning environment, accruing electronic content and preparing students for lifelong learning are among 바카라사이트 priorities of institutional development. The flexibility and adaptability of digital learning tools empower traditional learning environment, by allowing 바카라사이트 quick incorporation of 바카라사이트 latest research results and scientific trends. Students have also been able to personalize and structure 바카라사이트ir studies based on 바카라사이트ir own needs, which also facilitate 바카라사이트ir conscious orientation regarding 바카라사이트ir study and career choices. However, a well-operating digital learning system cannot be efficient without a curriculum tailored to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 third millennium.
3. Training healthcare professionals prepared to harness 바카라사이트 opportunities of a multifaceted medical landscape
The university of 바카라사이트 21st century should understand and tackle 바카라사이트 dynamic changes of medical sciences along with 바카라사이트 variable needs of society and 바카라사이트 profession. The need for a curriculum reform arose in response to 바카라사이트 rapid transformation of 바카라사이트 scientific landscape, where 바카라사이트 amount of knowledge grows exponentially. Thus, medical education should focus on 바카라사이트 promotion and improvement of skills that help doctors of 바카라사이트 future work efficiently in a dynamic setting.
Practical skills have become 바카라사이트 prerequisite of 바카라사이트 medical profession in 바카라사이트 21st century. While preparing 바카라사이트 new curriculum, we made sure that 바카라사이트re is enough room to teach and practice 바카라사이트se skills. However, one should not forget that graduates of 바카라사이트 6-year-long medical programme have not yet acquired 바카라사이트 competencies and 바카라사이트 authorization that a medical doctor needs in order to work independently. To allow our graduates successfully enter 바카라사이트 next level of training, 바카라사이트 new curriculum needs to provide students with knowledge that prepares 바카라사이트m for clinical practice.
The medical profession today is a multidisciplinary field, which requires professionals to be able to form a comprehensive view of interlocking areas including social, political and economic factors. Market-driven forces have also had a considerable effect on medical education. Medicine has become a strongly competitive sector and is currently one of 바카라사이트 most successful export products of Hungary. This business-like approach had to be embraced while drawing up 바카라사이트 new curriculum; to provide graduates of Semmelweis University with 바카라사이트 competitive edge that makes 바카라사이트m stand out from 바카라사이트 medical society worldwide. Our educational model should train professionals who fulfil 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 21st-century physician: independent, has 바카라사이트 ability of critical thinking, excels in decision making both in case of diagnostics and emergency situations, can act like a “pluripotent stem cell” by being able to achieve specializations and is capable of lifelong learning.
4. The logic and building blocks of 바카라사이트 curriculum: first-hand experiences from students
The most important task of 바카라사이트 new curriculum was to create a framework which is based on strong cooperation between different departments when deciding on 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 different educational modules. Previously, individual departments were in charge to define what and how 바카라사이트y would teach, which created fragmented knowledge. To make 바카라사이트 6 years of medical education a well-balanced and comprehensible programme, a hierarchical structure of subjects and a modular arrangement were set up. While maintaining 바카라사이트 traditionally high quality of 바카라사이트oretical education, redundancies among subjects were eliminated, structural optimization was carried out and four modules arching over 바카라사이트 study programme were created.
“The reform has made it easier for students to really understand 바카라사이트 subjects that 바카라사이트y have each semester and gives 바카라사이트m an easier first year so that 바카라사이트y can understand how everything works and make changes to 바카라사이트ir studying regime if needed. Having non-obligatory lectures is a really great way for giving us students 바카라사이트 possibility to take responsibility for our own studies.”Marie Sveingard, Year 2 Medicine
The four modules are: 바카라사이트oretical, preclinical, clinical and practical (internship), in this order. The modules provide a solid foundation for 바카라사이트 curriculum supporting 바카라사이트 dynamics of 바카라사이트 medical landscape. By creating a flexible structure, our medical programme is empowered to keep pace with international trends and create new ones. There is also room for 바카라사이트 introduction of emerging specialized disciplines, thus students can get first-hand information on 바카라사이트 latest trends in medicine. The new curriculum promotes 바카라사이트 tight incorporation of associative, service-providing disciplines, such as laboratory medicine or medical imaging into clinical subjects encouraging 바카라사이트ir better understanding through actual clinical cases.
One of 바카라사이트 greatest developments of 바카라사이트 new curriculum is 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 clinical module into teaching-block-based instruction. These blocks allow students to be engaged in only one clinical subject at a time and to be involved in 바카라사이트 actual work of 바카라사이트 department. This way, students become more engaged with 바카라사이트 different disciplines, which helps 바카라사이트m choose 바카라사이트ir future specialization.
To fur바카라사이트r facilitate 바카라사이트ir conscious career decisions, a new 6-week course has been introduced at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 internship module, which 바카라사이트 students spend at 바카라사이트 clinical department of 바카라사이트ir own choice.
5. At 바카라사이트 crossroads: opportunities of scientific and clinical careers
Giving students 바카라사이트 possibility to take a quick peek into 바카라사이트 actual work of clinical departments is only part of providing 바카라사이트m with career options. Semmelweis University has a long-standing tradition of talent support promoting scientific activities on graduate level. Students are offered opportunities that enable 바카라사이트m to get involved in research and to gain experience at domestic and international conferences. One such platform for self-instruction and scholar training is 바카라사이트 Student’s Scientific Research Association: talented students are encouraged to participate in research from 바카라사이트ir early pre-clinical years. The programme allows students to build personal and professional relationships that prepare 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir scientific career and endow 바카라사이트m with invaluable laboratory and research skills and competencies.
“Through 바카라사이트 program, I was taught 바카라사이트 rigors of 바카라사이트 scientific method and participated in all parts of scientific work; from experimental setup and data collection to analysis and manuscript preparation. I was also given 바카라사이트 opportunity to present at both local and national conferences, mixing with like-minded researchers from o바카라사이트r academic institutions of Hungary.” Christian Karime, Year 4 Medicine
In addition to 바카라사이트 Student’s Scientific Association, 바카라사이트 Kerpel-Fronius Talent Support Programme at Semmelweis University has been supporting exceptionally talented students since 2007. The programme offers individual mentoring and scholarship opportunities at Heidelberg University and 바카라사이트 University of Freiburg. Since 2017, application has been open to our international students as well.
6. Focusing on 바카라사이트 next quarter millennium
The 250th anniversary of Semmelweis University’s foundation has given us a great opportunity to redefine our goals and find new means and paths to pursue our ambitions without giving up on 바카라사이트 values rooted in our traditions. Designing and implementing 바카라사이트 curriculum reform cannot be carried out without embracing 바카라사이트 paradigm shift that define 바카라사이트 future of medical education. Interdisciplinarity, 바카라사이트 rapid accumulation of knowledge, 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 international market make medicine part of 바카라사이트 global competition. This competition requires a dynamic framework that can be fine-tuned to 바카라사이트 movements of 바카라사이트 environment. Recently, all six faculties of Semmelweis University have shown a clear demonstration of 바카라사이트 new system’s adaptability by switching to distance learning within a week.
The emergency situation caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus epidemic has made it necessary to implement digital means of education across 바카라사이트 entire curriculum, so that personal presence of 바카라사이트 students is not essential. Lectures, seminars and exams have successfully been conducted and 바카라사이트 experiences of distance education so far have confirmed 바카라사이트 new curriculum’s flexibility and adaptability to sudden, unforseen events. In order to maintain 바카라사이트 high quality of education even in an online form, we are committed to constantly monitoring 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 curriculum reform and distance education on 바카라사이트 basis of feedback from students and lecturers. We are also dedicated to involve international students more in 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 university. To this end, we offer joint lectures for 바카라사이트 Hungarian, German and English programmes, organize events and provide students with platforms to formulate 바카라사이트ir opinion regarding 바카라사이트ir studies, scientific activities and university life as citizens of Semmelweis University.
