METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN DENTAL STUDENTS DURING THE STUDY OF PROPAEDEUTICS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE

Abstract

The current stage of higher medical education reform requires the implementation of competency-based learning models, which is particularly relevant for future dentists. Internal medicine propaedeutics serves as the foundation of clinical training, as this stage establishes the skills for determining pathological processes and understanding the semiotics of internal diseases. The necessity for an in-depth study of somatic pathology is driven by the frequent manifestations of internal organ diseases in the oral cavity and the need to assess the patient’s general condition prior to performing dental interventions. The objective of this study is to analyze the experience of teaching the discipline “Internal Medicine Propaedeutics” to second-year undergraduate students of the Faculty of Dentistry at I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and to identify the most effective methods for developing diagnostic skills in the context of modern higher education requirements. The study utilized a comprehensive set of scientific and pedagogical methods: a systemic-structural analysis of the content of educational and professional programs; a comparative analysis of traditional and innovative educational technologies; pedagogical observation of the manual skills acquisition process; clinical situation modeling (case-based learning); and an analysis of quantitative academic performance indicators via the Moodle digital platform. It was demonstrated that structuring the educational material according to the syndromic principle, with an emphasis on the relationship between internal organs and the maxillofacial region, significantly increases the cognitive activity of students. The implementation of simulation technologies for practicing physical examination methods (auscultation, percussion) and tonometry has allowed for an increased level of objectification in practical training and reduced the psychological barrier during initial patient contact. The analysis of case study application confirmed the effectiveness of developing skills in the differential diagnosis of systemic pathologies (diabetes mellitus, anemias, gastrointestinal tract diseases) that manifest in dental practice. The synergy of classical clinical training and modern interactive teaching methods (simulation training, case-based learning) ensures the high efficacy of the educational process. This approach guarantees the formation of professional competencies necessary for independent clinical practice and the professional adaptation of the future dentist in the context of interdisciplinary integration.