The system of basic and postgraduate education in Ukraine. Education system for foreign doctors in Ukraine
The main principle of building the content of medical education in Ukraine is an orientation towards the final goals and a comprehensive approach, the implementation of which is facilitated by the credit-module system, which provides conditions for the active participation of students in the educational process on the basis of full-fledged partnership interaction with the teacher, increasing the scope of their independent work, expanding opportunities for individualization of the educational process, etc.
Educational and qualification levels
| Level | How is it obtained? | Who implements | Training period |
| Junior Specialist | Based on basic or complete general secondary education | As a rule, higher medical and pharmaceutical educational institutions of I-II levels of accreditation. A higher medical and pharmaceutical educational institution of a higher level of accreditation can train junior specialists if it has a corresponding educational institution of the I-II levels of accreditation or a structural unit. | Education cannot exceed three years, and on the basis of basic general secondary education – four years. |
| Bachelor | Based on a complete general secondary education | It is implemented by higher medical and pharmaceutical educational institutions of II-IV levels of accreditation. | The normative term of study is determined by educational and professional programs, but cannot exceed four years. The normative period of training of persons with the educational and qualification level of a junior specialist in a specialty corresponding to the field of training is reduced by one year. |
| Specialist | Based on complete general secondary education and basic higher medical (pharmaceutical) education.
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Specialist qualification is awarded after completion of specialization (internship) | The term of study is determined by educational and professional programs, but cannot be less than 5-6 years. The standard period of study for persons with a bachelor’s degree in a specialty corresponding to the field of study is reduced by one year.
The term of training according to the qualification is determined by the training programs for the training subjects, but it cannot be less than 1-2 years. |
| Master’s degree | On the basis of a complete higher medical (pharmaceutical) education or on the basis of a bachelor’s qualification | It is carried out in higher medical (pharmaceutical) educational institutions of the IV level of accreditation and is carried out, as a rule, simultaneously with the training of specialists in internships under educational and professional programs (scientific direction) of professional training. | The preparation of masters of medicine (pharmacy) in certain specialties is carried out according to educational and professional programs (scientific direction) |
| Postgraduate training | The postgraduate training program provides postgraduate education on the basis of educational and professional training programs for junior specialist, bachelor, specialist and master. | The specified postgraduate training programs are developed by the Central Methodological Cabinet (Center) for Higher Medical Education of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine with the involvement of departmental scientific laboratories for the training of medical and pharmaceutical personnel, qualified specialists of the supporting departments of higher medical (pharmaceutical) educational institutions and leading health care and pharmacy specialists. | The standard term of study is determined by the relevant programs. |
In Ukraine, the full term of training for a doctor is 6–9 years, 5–6 of which he gets an education at a higher educational institution and 1–3 he spends on an internship and a master’s degree (a medical residency is also planned, which has not yet been implemented).
The undergraduate stage of medical education in Ukraine ends with the state certification of graduates in order to determine the compliance of the quality indicators of higher medical education with the requirements of state standards of higher education after completion of studies under the relevant educational and professional programs.
The strategy for the development of medical education of Ukraine from 2018 defines the following problems that need to be solved:
- The content of education needs updating, the knowledge students receive is not always relevant and up-to-date.
- Discontinuity of higher education, science and practical activity; underfunding of scientific research.
- Lack of university clinics, lack of bases for practical training of students.
The strategy is designed for 2018-2028. One of its points is the reform of postgraduate education. It provides for the following activities and their tasks:
| Activities | Tasks |
| Introduction of a fair distribution of internships and standardization of its content | ¾ Research and selection of the optimal internship model.
¾ Reduction in the number of medical specialties in internship. ¾ Determining the requirements for internship bases. ¾ Normative regulation of internship (provisions on internship, change in financing method). ¾ Creation of a national rating of students based on objective, independent assessment criteria. ¾ Creation of a national register of internships with the number of places by specialty and basis of passing. Development of software for objective and transparent allocation of internships based on rating. Launch of a new internship model: new bases, new intern status, new training programs, rotational principle, new funding mechanism. ¾ Development of mechanisms for introducing academic mobility of interns. ¾ Development of mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of internship training. |
| Residency launch | ¾ Research of the optimal residency model.
¾ Normative regulation (determination of the list of specialties, duration of study). ¾ Determination of requirements for residency, including in connection with licensing. ¾ Starting a new residency: by place of employment with a list of mandatory training. ¾ We accept residency recognition with European countries. |
| Continuous professional development based on the best international practices. | ¾ Normative regulation of continuous professional development.
¾ Determination of requirements for providers of continuous professional development. Giving doctors the right to independently choose the place of advanced training ¾ Change in the model of financing continuous professional development (introduction of a model according to which the state will allocate a certain amount for professional development of each doctor, not for the academy of postgraduate medical education). |
Also, the Strategy includes such points as Effective financing and management, Changing academic culture, Development of scientific research. Thus, the result of the implementation of the Strategy will be an increase in the quality and competitiveness of higher medical education in Ukraine. In the long-term perspective, the implementation of the Strategy will contribute to improving the quality of providing medical services to the population of Ukraine.