Dialogue

Dima: Hello, Helen. I am glad to see you.

Helen: Hi, Dima. How nice to meet you again. I haven’t seen you for ages. How is life?

Dima: I’m a student of the Medical University now.

Helen: Congratulations! When did you enter the University?

Dima: I entered the University last year.

Helen: Did you pass any entrance exams?

Dima: Certainly I did. I had to take exams in Chemistry, Biology and Russian Language.

Helen: So, you must be a second year student now.

Dima: Yes, I am in the second year. And what about you?

Helen: I haven’t decided yet. Tell me more about your university. What subjects do medical students study?

Dima: Oh, there are a lot of subjects in the pre-clinical years. We study Anatomy, Biology, Microbiology, General and Biological Chemistry, Physics, Physiology and some other subjects. We also study languages: Latin focusing on basics of medical terminology and one of the two foreign languages English or German, trying to learn to understand medical texts.

Helen: What is the course of study at your faculty?

Dima: Six years.

Helen: Well, I guess it takes a lot of time and much effort to become a highly qualified medical specialist.

Dima: Yes, it certainly does. But I find all this very interesting.

Ex.10 Translate into English.

1. Московская медицинская академия была основана в 1758 году как факультет Московского университета. 2. Основателем Московского университета был великий русский ученый М.В. Ломоносов. 3. В 19 веке в Московском университете было шесть кафедр. 4. В Московской медицинской академии были открыты два новых факультета: стоматологический и военной медицины. 5. Каждый факультет возглавляет декан.

Medical Education in Belarus

Ex.11 Read and remember the following expressions. Translate the sentences.

1. World Health Organization (WHO) Всемирная организация здравоохранения

World Health Organization promotes the development of health education in all the countries of the world.

The regional WHO office for Europe is situated in Copenhagen.

2. to receive nursing training at a medical college получить среднее медицинское образование в медучилище

My sister received nursing training at a medical college. She works as a nurse at hospital No.5.

Ex.12 Listen and repeat the following words. Pay attention to the stress.

internship [ɪn ʹtǝ:nʃɪp], patient [ʹpeɪʃǝnt], gynaecology [̗ʤaɪnɪ ʹkɔlǝʤɪ], scholarship

[ʹskɔlǝʃɪp], epidemiological [epɪ ̗ di:mɪǝ ʹlɔʤɪkǝl], post-graduate [ʹpoust ʹgrædjuɪt], qualification [̗kwɔlɪfɪ ʹkeɪʃn],specialization [̗speʃǝlaɪ ʹzeɪʃn]

Ex.13 What are the root words?

information, examination, instruction, training, supervision, theoretical, attendance

Ex.14 Scan the text, underline and note down unknown words.

Medical Education in Belarus.

Last year a delegation from the World Health Organization visited Minsk. The delegates were interested in medical education in Belarus. Some of them came to Belarusian State Medical University and had a talk on this subject with Dr. Ivanov, the Dean of the Medical Faculty.

Dr. Webber: Dr. Ivanov, my colleagues and I are here by the arrangement of the World Health Organization. We should like to receive some information on the doctors training in your country and about the curricula at the Medical Universities.

Dean: I’ll be happy to answer all your questions.

Dr. Webber: First of all, would you kindly tell us who has the right to enter a Medical University in your country?

Dean: Any citizen of our country who has a complete secondary education may apply to a Medical University.

Dr. Webber: Applicants have to take examinations, don’t they?

Dean: Yes, quite so. All the applicants are required to take competitive admission examination tests in Biology, Chemistry and Russian or Belarusian Language. And those who obtain the highest marks in the examination tests are admitted.

Dr. Webber: Would you tell how are your students trained?

Dean: The education at higher schools is given through lectures, group training and practical classes.

Dr. Ballam: Is the attendance at lectures and classes voluntary?

Dean: No, it is compulsory for all students.

Dr. Webber: How is the students’ knowledge checked?

Dean: Our academic year begins on September 1^st and is divided into two terms of four months each. At the end of each term the students have to pass a number of examinations. And if they succeed in studies they get a stipend.

Dr. Webber: We would like to know something about your curriculum.

Dean: Well, the course of study lasts 6 years and consists of basic pre-clinical and clinical subjects. During the first two years students study Physics, General, Organic, Inorganic and Biological Chemistry. The students also study Human Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Microbiology, Latin, Foreign Language, History and Philosophy. Beginning with the third year special clinical subjects such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Infectious Diseases and others are introduced. At the end of the third year students take a six-week practical course. They perform the duties of nurses. After their fourth year students take another practical course at the department of internal diseases, at the surgical department and the department of obstetrics and gynaecology. Working as doctor’s assistants, students master a definite number of medical and diagnostic procedures and try to treat patients for different diseases. Senior students also have practical training at out-patient departments. They have to attend lectures, seminars and clinical conferences as well.

Dr Webber: Dr. Ivanov, you’ve told us about undergraduate clinical training at the Medical Faculty. How does the training course at the medical University end? And what about specialization?

Dean: You see, in our country medical students take final state examinations which include theoretical questions in Internal Diseases, Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The graduates also have to demonstrate their practical skills. Those who have passed the examinations receive their diplomas, which certify them as doctors. Having received a diploma they must take a one-year internship course qualifying them as general health care specialists.

Dr. Ballam: Dr. Ivanov, would you kindly tell us what facilities your doctors have for specialization?

Dean: Interns work under the direct supervision of experienced specialists in clinics and in major hospitals. Medical graduates can also apply for the post-graduate training. For three years post-graduates do research work in one of the important problems of modern medicine, prepare a thesis, defend it and obtain an academic degree of Candidate of Medical Science.

Dr. Ballam: Dr. Ivanov, thank you very much for the talk.

Dean: You most welcome.