MODERN TRENDS IN THE STUDY OF PHYSIOLOGY OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH CARE

Abstract

In the context of a full-scale war, the training of doctors becomes an urgent task at the state level and requires constant attention from the scientific community. The individualization of students’ educational and cognitive activities is closely related to the challenge of implementing an individual approach to each higher education student. Changes in socio-economic conditions during the war, the societal need for timely and qualified medical care, and the increasing role of information technologies in the educational process have made individualized education a necessary condition for achieving highquality learning outcomes and the development of future doctors’ personalities. Meanwhile, the issue of individualizing students’ educational and cognitive activities is connected to the difficulty of implementing an individual approach to each higher education student. This article describes the innovative teaching methods employed at the Department of Physiology of the Bogomolets National Medical University for teaching normative and variable disciplines to medical students. It can be beneficial for teachers in specialized departments in their professional activities. Contextual, modular, and problembased learning, which are utilized during blended learning, have proven to be effective in helping students master the discipline of physiology. Traditionally, at the Department of Physiology, medical students would acquire knowledge of regulatory disciplines through practical work involving laboratory animals, particularly frogs. However, considering the ethical requirements, the department’s teachers have chosen not to use acute experiments on laboratory animals. Instead, they prefer to demonstrate experiments through video films or computer models. Intact laboratory animals are used solely to demonstrate specific reflexes, such as the pupillary reflex and various motor reflexes. The Department of Physiology at NMU prioritizes contextual, modular, and problem-based learning, which combines educational, scientific, and practical activities for students. The student scientific circle operates effectively, allowing students to search for the latest scientific information and prepare scientific reports during circle meetings, which are attended by students from the course. These meetings are held in a mixed format, including both classroom and remote sessions, depending on the current state of affairs in the country during the full-scale war. To enhance student work organization and structure educational materials, the Department of Physiology publishes a study guide for practical classes and independent student work, divided into two parts each year to align with the two-semester study of the discipline. The study guide is structured according to meaningful modules of physiology study and serves as the foundation for preparation for the physiology exam, which concludes the discipline’s study. During classes, various methods are employed to assess students’ level of training, including computer tests, solving situational problems, conducting laboratory studies, interpreting and evaluating results, analyzing instrumental study findings, and assessing parameters that characterize the functions of the human body, its systems, and organs, as well as practical skills evaluation. Overall, the use of the latest innovative teaching methods in conjunction with a mixed form of classes contributes to the successful education of students, as evidenced by the high success rate of students during the physiology exam in the last examination session of the 2023/2024 academic year, despite the challenging conditions of organizing the educational process during the full-scale war.