Welcome Standardized Patient at ZSMU

Today senior interns have started to take a practically-oriented exam "Standardized Patient". That exam is held at the Zaporizhzhia State Medical University and in Ukraine for the first time. And it became possible due to ZSMU purchasing the brand new technology of the "Virtual Patient" in April 2019, which is now used both in education and for knowledge assessment.

"It is an extraordinary thing for study and indeed a unique one", says MD, Professor Vitalii Kryvenko, the Head of the Department of Family Medicine, Therapy, Cardiology and Neurology. "ZSMU students and interns have the opportunity to work over real clinical situations, to take immediate decisions and not to miss the smallest details. And then to look at the detailed, per second! analysis of their actions, see what was done properly and where the mistakes were made, where the reaction was insufficient, what else they needed to work at. The assessment of such exam is objective: the program evaluates the percentage of actions by three directions: diagnostic search, physical examination and therapeutic tactics. We are proud of our interns to demonstrate high level of skills and knowledge. The best result by now is 100/92/100!"

Each group has a separate scenario, but they work individually, several interns work directly at the table with the "Virtual Patient", other interns work on the computers. The exam is conducted efficiently under the supervision and with the support of Professor Mykhailo Kolesnyk, Associate Professor Ihor Kachan, and some other members of the Department.

"For two days, interns-graduates (and there are 131 interns this year) have a test of therapeutic profile in the scenarios provided by the Department of Family Medicine, Therapy, Cardiology and Neurology. Then there will be standardized patients for the surgical and pediatric profiles. All departments of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education participate in the development of Virtual Patients", said Denys Zadyraka, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education. "The state certification of interns-graduates has 5 stages. They have already passed an ECG exam, which also took place at the Interdepartmental Training Center. Now the stage of the so-called Standardized Patient is taking place, and after that Elex testing will be conducted. The final stages will consist of an interview and practical skills assessment."

The Administration of ZSMU wishes the students to pass all stages successfully.

10 June 2019