Vitebsk state medical university

1. Words to be remembered:

1.	accredit – аккредитовать, приписывать;
2.	academic means – академические средства обучения;
3.	aspiration – стремление;
4.	assessment – оценка;
5.	associate professor – доцент;
6.	bed fund – коечный фонд;
7.	department (chair) – кафедра;
8.	educative-industrial pharmacy – учебно-производственная аптека;
9.	entertainment – развлечение;
10.	immutable – неизменный;
11.	involve – вовлекать;
12.	merit – заслуга;
13.	persistence – настойчивость;
14.	phantom – фантом;
15.	plastic model – муляж;
16.	Public health service(s) – служба здравоохранения;
17.	rate – считать, оценивать;
18.	ratio-system – рейтинговая система;
19.	research – исследование, (-ский, -овать);
20.	science – наука;
21.	scientific – научный;
22.	scientist – ученый;
23.	self-education – самообразование;
24.	skilled pedagogical experience – надежный педагогический опыт;
25.	steady – постоянный;
26.	teaching staff – штат преподавателей;
27.	training of physicians – подготовка врачей.

Text I. Vitebsk State Medical University.

Read the text and comment on the figures mentioned in it.

Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University is one of higher medical educational establishments in the Republic of Belarus. The foundation history of Vitebsk Medical Institute dates back to November, 1934. At the beginning of 1999 it was accredited to a University status. For the large merits in training of physicians for foreign Public Health Services Vitebsk Medical Institute was awarded the Order of Peoples’ Friendship and nowadays still keeps leading position in medical education. At the present moment more than 5 thousand students are studying here.

Vitebsk State Medical University is rated high in the world-rating systems. Its Degrees are recognized by World Health Organization (WHO). Today educational process is carried out at 7 faculties: Preparatory Training Course, General Medicine, Pharmaceutical Faculty, Stomatological Faculty, Overseas Students Training Faculty, Post-graduate Training Faculty, Faculty of Pedagogics and Psychology of Higher School. Physicians and surgeons are trained at the faculty of General Medicine. The faculty of Stomatology trains stomatologists or dentists. Pharmacists are trained at the Pharmaceutical faculty.

Educational process is organized at 58 departments, where 60 doctors and 179 candidates of sciences, including 39 professors and 139 associate professors work. The educational departments are equipped with modern automatic apparatuses for training, sets of plastic models and phantoms, complex medical-diagnostic equipment. Ratio and 3-stage system of students’ knowledge assessment is used at the university (computer testing, practical skills and interview). To improve the quality of teaching educative-industrial pharmacy, dental clinic and control-analytical laboratory were created where students are able to put the acquired knowledge into practice.

Clinical bases of the university are the majority of city clinics containing necessary modern medical-diagnostic equipment. Total bed fund of clinical departments is 4200 beds. The pharmaceutical students have practice at numerous chemists' of the pharmaceutical enterprise “Pharmacy” and the Pharmaceutical Association “Belmedpreparations”.

There is a perfect library at the University, available to each student and having a large number of books in all branches of knowledge in Russian and foreign languages. The majority of books are educational and scientific – textbook editions, unique editions of lectures, recommendations, monographs, scientific works and materials of conferences issued by various chairs.

The unique electronic library in the Republic of Belarus was founded in VSMU in 2003. The center is equipped with new computer equipment with high Internet speed connecting.

There are 14 scientific-pedagogical schools in medical-biological, clinical, pharmaceutical disciplines at VSMU. Students are involved in the work of these schools. Students’ scientific society has rich traditions and wide experience in the field of young scientists’ preparation. The scientific activity of VSMU is carried out in different scientific directions: surgical diseases, infection, cardiovascular diseases, oncology, etc.

Vitebsk State Medical University has 5 comfortable hostels. There are also gyms, concert halls, international clubs, canteens, cafes, rooms for rest, computer clubs with high-speed Internet connections, etc. in these hostels.