Medical Education in England.

Two kinds of medical establishments train doctors in great Britain: medical faculties of the Universities and higher medical schools. 14% of them are private schools.

To enter medical higher school applicants take 5-6 entrance exams: in English, in Foreign language, in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics.

The course of study lasts for 8 years. English medical schools have no state general curriculum. Each school has its own curriculum which includes compulsory and non-compulsory subjects. Compulsory subjects are Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and others. Non-compulsory subjects are Biophysics, Physics, Social Health Protection and so on.

A 5-year curriculum consists of four periods: premedical, pre-clinical, introductory clinical and clinical. The premedical period (the first year) deals with Chemistry, Physics, Biology. Students have lectures and practical hours. The pre-clinical period includes such subjects as Anatomy, Histology, Organic Chemistry and others. During premedical and pre-clinical periods students study compulsory and non-compulsory subjects. During the introductory clinical and clinical periods they study only compulsory subjects. They learn the methods of clinical examination of the patient, history taking, nursing, clinical service. They study Pathology, Psychiatry, Practical Pharmacy and so on. The clinical period of training lasts from the third till the fifth year.

After graduation from a higher school young specialists must take a one year internship before they begin to work as doctors. They must work as interns at a clinic. In addition to that every doctor must have a 3-year specialization and take several final exams..

Education in Great Britain is not free of charge, 50% of students get grants. It depends on their success in studies and their family status.

Famous people in Medicine. N.I. Pirogov.

The development of surgery began in the 19^th century. The founder of modern surgery was the greatest Russian scientist N.I. Pirogov.

Pirogov was born in Moscow on November 13, 1810. At the age of 14 he entered Medical faculty of Moscow University. He studied brilliantly and at the age of 18 graduated from the University. After that he was sent to Derpt to master surgery. At the age of 26 he defended the dissertation under the title “Ligation of Arterial Vessels”, and became a professor of surgery. Pirogov very soon became known as one of the best surgeons of his time. He wrote 24 major works, the most famous of which are “Topographic Anatomy”, General Field Surgery”, “On the Section of Achilles Tendon” and others.

There is no field of biology and anatomy, pathology and surgery to which the brilliant mind of the Russian scientist did not contribute. Pirogov opened new possibilities in surgery. He was the first to perform osteo-plastic operation (now known as “Pirogov’s operation”). It brought him world fame. He was also the first to divide the Achilles tendon and operated on the intestine in case of bullet wound. The greatest Russian surgeon became the initiator of the extensive use of anaesthesia to make operations painless. Ether masks helped the surgeons greatly.

At the age of 51 Pirogov retired and settled in the village Vishnya, where he opened a small hospital. He died on November 23, 1881 at the age of 71.