DIRECTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE TEACHING OF PEDIATRICS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Abstract. The requirements due to the reform of system of medical education in connection with the integration of our country into a single European and world environment, and the conditions of war and pandemic at the same time determine an increased need to find the effective methods for future medical specialists’ training. In this article, we analyze the results of an anonymous survey of the 6th year students of medical faculty (specialty 222 “Medicine”) who have completed the course of Pediatrics at the Department of Pediatrics No. 2 of Bogomolets National Medical University on assessing the covering of the subject, as well as forms and methods of training. Blended learning according to the students’ survey is the most effective form of training nowadays. The analysis of the results revealed some difficulties in learning certain fields of pediatrics, such as pediatric cardiology and nephrology, as well as in mastering the issues of providing emergency care to children in urgent conditions, in manipulating skills and interpreting the results of instrumental research methods. Lack of time for learning definite subjects, inadequate knowledge obtained while learning prerequisites, and insufficient amount of face-to-face classroom practice are mentioned by the majority of respondents as the most likely causes of difficulties in learning pediatrics. At the same time, independent clinical problem solving remains challenging for many learners. Increasing the use of digital technologies in the educational process, strengthening the integrative interdisciplinary correlations, repeating the prerequisites material, and providing students with additional training in manipulation are the main tools to increase the efficiency of mastering pediatrics.