Simulation technologies of training in medical education find new prospects for practical training of students, residents, advanced training of practicing doctors, as well as for assessing their professional competence.

The aim of the study is to identify the main factors influencing the satisfaction of training of residents who are trained using simulation technologies.

Material and methods. The study involved 1^st-year residents in the following specialties: «surgery», «endocrinology», «pediatrics», «neurology». A sociological survey of participants was conducted using the author’s questionnaire approved at the Department of Simulation Technologies and Emergency Medical Care. The significance of differences between comparison groups was assessed using a nonparametric method. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between variables. A confirmatory type of factor analysis was used to obtain maximum information about the influence of factors.

Results. According to the results of the sociological survey of residents, it was found that the effectiveness and quality of seminars and clinical practices were rated by most students at 5 points, 66 and 53%, respectively; a high level of understandable presentation of the material using the technology of conducting simulation training was noted by 76% of students.

Correlation analysis revealed that the success of simulation training directly depends on the pedagogical skills of teachers: their qualifications and knowledge (p=0.000726), pedagogical qualities (p=0.000649), clear and understandable presentation of the material (p=0.010780) and objectivity of knowledge assessment (p=0.000133). It should be noted that the availability of modern equipment positively correlates with lectures in dialogue mode, seminars and clinical practice, which emphasizes the importance of equipment for interactive and practical training. An important factor in the satisfaction of residents with training using simulators is their motivation.

Factor analysis revealed the structural characteristics of the group of students in accordance with their educational focus. The majority (44.21370%) were residents who were satisfied with their training in accordance with the pedagogical skills of teachers – the factor of «pedagogical professionalism», and a smaller part (14.85484%) of residents noted that the effectiveness of training depends on the organization of educational and clinical practices – the factor of «organization of classes».

Conclusion. Thus, the main criteria for assessing the effectiveness of training using simulation technologies are the satisfaction of residents with pedagogical professionalism, organization of the educational process and equipment for classes.

Relevance. The most important skills that characterize the competence and professionalism of a doctor are conducting a patient examination to establish a diagnosis, analysis, comparison and synthesis of the information obtained. To gain experience, a doctor has to practice for years. Using virtual reality simulators with an infinite number of pathology options and various nosologies, skills can be mastered much faster without waiting for a patient with a particular pathology.

Aim. Comparison of the effectiveness of two teaching methods: traditional (seminars and lectures at the department with a clinic – group 2) and combined methods with the additional use of the XR-Body mixed reality simulator (group 1) for developing examination and diagnosis skills in acute abdominal pathology with various nosologies.

Material and methods. A prospective, randomized, controlled study with blinded data analysis took place during the period from November 2023 to December 2024. The research participants (RP) were volunteers from 4^th-year students of the Faculty of Medicine (n=93) who completed the mandatory stage of training at the Department of Faculty Surgery (clinical department) according to the approved program. The scenarios were created on the basis of a patient examination model in the emergency room. The examination and diagnosis were carried out by the RP on a standardized patient (SP), which simulated patients with various cases of acute abdominal pathology. The difference between the groups was that the participants of the 1^st group, before the SP examination, underwent one-time training in virtual reality using the cases of the XR-Body mixed reality simulator (LLC BMS/LLC GEOTAR-Med). The following stages of the diagnostic search were analyzed: gathering information about actual complaints and anamnesis; superficial palpation; deep palpation; diagnosis; time spent on anamnesis, performing palpation, making a diagnosis and total time of the session. A comparison was made both for each stage as a whole and for individual parameters of each stage. Feedback source: expert assessments and data from the built-in session tracking system on the XR-Body simulator – Tactile Tracking System (TTS). The effectiveness of the educational technology was assessed using the Kirkpatrick model and calculating indices.

The results are presented for the correct distribution of indicators as M±SD, where M is the arithmetic mean, SD is the standard deviation, and for the incorrect distribution as Me is median, CI is confidence intervals, including the values of the minimum and maximum values (min & max) or 10, 25 – 90, 75 percentiles. Dichotomous and ordinal qualitative data are expressed as frequencies (n) and percentage distribution of features. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05.

Results. The study groups had no significant differences in age, education level, gender and experience of examining patients with acute abdominal pathology. At the first stage of the diagnostic search (gathering of complaints and anamnesis), statistically significant differences were determined between the RP of the 1^st and 2^nd groups: in points M₁=9.50, CI SD 3.26–4.95 and M₂=7.15, CI SD 1.98–3.00 (p=0.001) with a maximum possible of 19 points. The RP of the 1^st group more often asked questions characterizing the pain syndrome (p<0.05), about the presence of a history of operations (p=0.045) and injuries (p=0.003). When comparing the results of abdominal palpation, statistically significant differences were obtained with an advantage in favor of group 1 when performing superficial palpation: M₁=8.50, CI SD 1.05–1.59; M₂=7.66, CI SD 1.66–2.52 (p=0.018). 83% of RP (group 1) completely palpated all areas of the abdomen, in group 2 – 59.6% (p=0.011). When assessing the duration of the examination and the correctness of the diagnosis, statistically significant differences were determined for all time characteristics with a significant advantage of RP of group 1 (p<0.02). The total time of the appointment was M₁=296 sec, CI SD 77–118; M₂=374 sec, CI SD 78.92–119.29 (p=0.0001).

Conclusion. The study participants who underwent training in virtual reality using the XR-Body simulator cases (Group 1), compared to Group 2 (traditional training), demonstrated better results in gathering information about actual complaints and anamnesis from a standardized patient, both for this stage as a whole and for individual questions of the diagnostic search, were interested in the patient’s history of operations 1.7 times more often (p=0.045) and injuries 6.1 times more often (p=0.003); performed correct complete superficial palpation of the abdomen 23% more often and deep palpation 12% more often than the study participants in the control group (Group 2); demonstrated a statistically significant higher speed of patient examination for all analyzed parameters; more often made the correct diagnosis, both when compared in general for all nosologies (by 21%), and for individual diseases when diagnosing “Acute appendicitis” by 27%, “Acute cholecystitis” by 22%, “Acute pancreatitis” by 9% and “Peptic ulcer” by 37%. The new educational technology demonstrated maximum efficiency in assessing the reaction (index I_lr = 0.96) and practicing superficial palpation skills (index I_tt = 0.94) (maximum index value 1.0).

Introduction. The need to ensure high quality training of residents for communication with patients and the insufficient development of methods for assessing the effectiveness of teaching communication skills allowed us to formulate the aim of the study – to determine the possibility of using videos as a method for assessing the effectiveness of teaching resident’s communication skills (CS).

Material and methods. The study involved first-year residents of the Northern State Medical University (Arkhangelsk) of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation – 151 people, whose average age was 24.0 years. Residents were asked to assess the CS of doctors by watching three videos before and after training. We used the adapted and validated Gap-Kalamazoo method to assess the CS. The questionnaires were filled out using Google forms. Statistical data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets with the Analysis ToolPak add-in and the built-in AtteStat v. 15.0 data analysis program.

Results. A centripetal shift in assessments was noted after the CS training. The center of gravity is the group of satisfactory assessments. Centrifugal tendencies are generally most significant for the «poor» assessment group. It was found that after the training, the dispersion of respondents’ assessments decreases due to a reduction in the proportions of low and high assessments. It is obvious that the content of the training, which involves a deep reflexive analysis of respondents’ communicative actions during trainings based on the multilateral assessment methodology, allowed residents to master the requirements for professional communication and more objectively assess the CS of other doctors, and the use of video clips to assess medical communication can be considered as one of the methods for determining the effectiveness of the training.

Conclusion. Assessing professional communication using video clips before and after CS training can be an additional method for determining the effectiveness of the training. The opportunity for residents to assess the CS of other doctors during the development of the program performs a reflexive and stimulating function, which has a positive effect on the process and results of training, as well as a feedback function, which involves mandatory correction of the CS training program.

One of the pedagogical elements of higher medical education is the historically established demonstration autopsy. The aim of this scientific review is to evaluate the validity of producing demonstration autopsies with medical students.

Material and methods. The objects of the research were scientific works, regulatory documents and other literature, and the research methods were analysis followed by synthesis.

Results and discussion. It is noted that federal standards do not directly include information on the need to demonstrate autopsies, but some of their competencies indirectly indicate such a need. It was revealed that the organization of a demonstration autopsy, despite its approval in the syllabus, may not be carried out under certain circumstances related to Russian legislation. It is indicated that the main didactic meaning of the demonstration autopsy is the implementation of the principle of clarity, which is not interpreted quite correctly by teachers. This causes the incorrect organization of this pedagogical element. It seems advisable to use a method of high-quality recording of several autopsies, corresponding to each topic, with their subsequent demonstration within the framework of an active educational process. This approach, although it does not assume face-to-face presence, is more pedagogical and, despite the initial difficulties in preparing video materials, is more practical for the future, because it can be implemented over a long period of time. Students were noted to be interested in attending in-person or distant autopsy, but only on condition that they were able to actively participate in the educational process.

In the article important issues of teaching histological terminology in histology departments of higher educational institutions and in departments of paramedics-laboratory assistants of secondary medical colleges are discussed. The importance of this section of histology in the educational process is emphasized. It is proposed to revise the educational materials so that the issues of studying histological terminology in them are the same with other issues of the topic. In this case, in accordance with the importance of the principle of repetition in training, it is proposed to return to histological terms several times during the practical lesson: at the beginning of the lesson, during the theoretical consideration of the topic, when studying the preparations by asking to name this structure in Latin, and, finally, at the end of the lesson. This will sharply enhance the process of assimilation of the terms of the topic. The issue of the interrelation and mutual penetration (interpenetration) of histological terminology and the terminology of related basic disciplines is discussed, as well as the issue of the conventionality and consensus of histological terminology and the terminologies of related disciplines used equally with it.

Introduction. The absence of normative documents that take into account the specifics of teaching Russian to foreign students who receive higher medical education in the intermediary language (English) without pre-university language training, the constant reduction of teaching time along with the English-language educational space artificially created around this contingent of students cause low motivation to learn Russian, and therefore the level of its proficiency is insufficient for solving numerous practical communicative problems.

Practical significance. It concerns both foreign citizens who have received higher medical education on professional educational programs both in the Russian Federation in Russian and in other countries in their native language (or intermediate language), who wish to continue their education on additional professional programs of residency/postgraduate studies on specialty 31.06.01 “Clinical Medicine”, and foreign citizens who study in Russian medical universities in the intermediate language (English), but pass the final interdisciplinary state certification exam (GI).

Aim. The real step to change the current situation is the restructuring of the course of Russian as a foreign language in the medical university to ensure full mastering of universal competences in the field of communication (UK-4) stipulated by FSES, creation of a generalizing course “Scientific activity of a doctor”, which allows to successfully master the scientific language of the medical profession.

Methodology. The paper presents the setting and intermediate results of the prolonged pedagogical experiment on the development of the most productive way of creating and structuring the teaching material for the formation of the necessary sustainable competences in the Russian language of a medical student studying with the help of an intermediary language (English).

Results and scientific novelty. The author’s program of the course was created, the control and measuring material was developed, the use of which demonstrated the validity of the applied methodology and its effectiveness. Based on the results of the first year of use, the conclusion is made about the effectiveness of the developed course and the creation of a unified language regime for foreign students of medical school.

The article views project method as a pedagogical technology that forms professional competencies in the future managers of medical organizations. Methodical approaches aimed at forming project and startup competencies in the students in the process of studying project management. The classification of a project manager’s competencies is developed, and their qualitative characteristics are presented. The educational and methodological tools of pedagogical support for the implementation of the project method in the educational process and the formation of project competencies in the students are presented. The project’s topics and teaching methods are presented, taking into account the students’ psychological characteristics (learning style, temperament, and level of a student’s self-organization). The competencies that are formed in the process of the students’ taking part in case studies and business games are outlined. The relationship between the students’ performance of project work while studying the discipline and the final exam grade is revealed.

Introduction. Electives (elective component) are study disciplines included in the catalog of elective disciplines, created for students to choose the elective component in order to form their own learning trajectory, taking into account personal and professional interests. Study of elective disciplines, contribute to the development of knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for the formation of professional competence and its subsequent implementation in practical activities.

Material and methods. In the process of training at the Department of Family Medicine, an elective discipline «Risk Management in GP Practice (Case Management)» was developed and offered to 5^th year students of the specialty «General Medicine.» Drawing up an eco-map and an individual patronage plan». In the classes, students gain knowledge and skills in managing risk cases, drawing up an eco-map and an individual patronage plan, realizing that this is a tool that really allows them to reach the family and create a holistic view of it.

In order to study the impact of the elective discipline «Risk Case Management in GP Practice (Case Management). Drawing up an eco-map and an individual patronage plan» for the professional competencies of undergraduate students, the satisfaction and acquisition of professional competencies of students using feedback (questionnaire), basic and final test control and intermediate certification on the Session platform were studied.

Results. According to the survey, 92% of students of the Kazakh and 94% of students of the Russian department note that this elective discipline develops professional competencies among students aimed at communicative, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive activities. To assess the effectiveness of the discipline, a comparative analysis of student results before and after completing the discipline was carried out. An analysis of the results of the basic control showed that the students had low awareness of the universal patronage model of pregnant women and young children – 60%, according to the analysis of the results of the final control, 92% acquired skills in universal patronage of pregnant women. The results of intermediate certification confirmed the assimilability of elective discipline by 96%.

Conclusion. Elective discipline of choice «Risk Case Management in GP Practice (Case Management). Drawing up an eco-map and an individual patronage plan» allows to develop skills in students with a focus on the formation and maintenance of children’s health at various periods of childhood in a family environment, allows to bring students closer to real practice, avoid medical errors, and also develop professional competencies aimed at communicative, diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive activities.

The publication is based on the materials of the author’s sociological study «Medical Students about the Volunteer Movement», which was conducted in 2023 in 22 medical universities of all federal districts of Russia (n=819). The aim of the study is to identify the motivation for students’ participation in the volunteer movement. Four motives associated with the participation of future doctors in the volunteer movement are identified (pragmatic request, factors of dissatisfaction with volunteering, request for recognition; request for social capital). The most common is a pragmatic request associated with the benefits that a student can get from volunteering. Quite common are factors of dissatisfaction with volunteering (lack of interesting events, negative reaction of colleagues, family). The request for recognition is associated with the need of students not so much for material as for moral encouragement. The demand for social capital is determined by the students’ hope to acquire professional, organizational, social skills, connections and relationships within the framework of volunteer work. The identified types quite clearly characterize the main motives of medical students’ attitude to volunteer activities.

Healthcare is evolving, and with it the need to reform medical education. As the level of medical knowledge increases, technologies such as artificial intelligence are needed to enable healthcare professionals to effectively use this knowledge in medical practice. Health care providers must be properly trained on this new technology, its benefits for improving the quality and accessibility of health care, and its disadvantages such as transparency and accountability. Artificial intelligence must be seamlessly integrated into various aspects of the curriculum. In this article, we examined the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medical education, and also presented a work program for the specialty 05.31.01 General Medicine “Artificial Intelligence in Medicine”.

Background. In recent years, the growth of welfare and legal awareness of the population, information technology modernization of the Healthcare system have increased the requirements for the training of highly qualified medical workers with a broad skills, oriented in matters not only of their profession but also communication skills, which is a key aspect of communication between a doctor and a patient. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the introducing of the discipline «Communication Skills» into educational program of the specialty «General Medicine» was provided through three key stages: adaptation, strengthening, and professionalization. Each stage included significant changes and improvements in the structure and content of the discipline. For more than 15 years, each stage contributed to the transition to a new educational paradigm, which contributed to fundamental changes in the structure and content of the discipline.

The aim of the study was to analyze the implementation stages of the discipline «Communication Skills» in medical education of Kazakhstan, identify the achievements and problems of each stage, and offer recommendations for further improvement of teaching methods.

Material and methods. The research methods included theoretical and pedago­gical experiment, observation, interviewing, and scientific analysis methods.

Results. The analysis was conducted for three periods: the adaptation phase (2007–2014), the strengthening phase (2015–2018), and the professionalization phase (2019–2023). The first phase (2007–2014) included the introduction of theoretical and basic practical communication skills, the use of standardized patients, and active learning methods. The second phase (2015–2018) was characterized by a revision of the curriculum, an increase in teaching hours, and the introduction of the Calgary–Cambridge model. The third phase (2019–2023) introduced modern educational technologies, digital platforms, and virtual patients, as well as the integration of communication skills into all disciplines of the curriculum.

Discussion. Each stage had its strengths and weaknesses. Key achievements included improving students’ communicative competence, increasing satisfaction with the educational process, and integrating modern technologies.

Conclusion. Integration of theory and practice in teaching communication skills, and implementation of modern educational technologies contributed to the optimization of students’ communication competence. To achieve even higher results, it is necessary to improve teaching methods, integrate the latest educational technologies, and provide continuous support and training for teachers. An integrated approach to developing communication skills is a key factor in training highly qualified medical specialists.