Goal
Preparation of in-demand, qualified bachelors of medicine in the specialty “General Medicine” meeting the modern requirements of the labor market.
History of Establishment
The training of physicians in the specialty of "General Medicine" began in 2007, following the adoption of the Concept for Reforming Medical and Pharmaceutical Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The implementation of this Concept at NJSC "Astana Medical University" commenced in August 2007 with the establishment of the Faculty of General Medicine by Rector Zh.A. Doskaliyev. Raushan Karabayevna Baikanova, Candidate of Biological Sciences and Associate Professor of the Department of Biological Chemistry, was invited to serve as Deputy Dean. She organized the Dean's Office operations and oversaw the first student enrollment. Subsequently, Associate Professor Bakhyt Balkenovna Igenbayeva assumed the duties of Deputy Dean. In the same year, Turlybek Umitzhanovich Tuganbekov, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor, was appointed as the first Dean of the faculty.
Due to the growing student body, Lyazzat Evgenyevna Taizhanova and Bakshagul Karibaikyzy Nurkhan were appointed as Deputy Deans. Later, the Faculty of General Medicine was headed by Yerzhan Nurgaliyevich Kuspayev, Candidate of Medical Sciences and PhD.
In subsequent years, the position of Dean was held by Associate Professor Aigul Makhsatovna Sumanova (Cand. Med. Sci.) and Associate Professor Aizhan Kairbekovna Kaliyeva (Cand. Med. Sci.). From February 2011 to 2022, the faculty was led by Kairgeldy Ombayevich Makhambetov, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Associate Professor. From 2023 to 2026, the faculty was headed by Ainur Anuarovna Sariyeva.
Currently, Aliya Kurmanbekovna Smagulova - PhD, senior consultant physician (Internal medicine), cardiologist, international speaker, and member of EHRA (European Heart Rhythm Association), ESC (European Society of Cardiology), the association of cardiologists of Kazakhstan, and the Kazakh society of arrhythmologists serves as the Dean of the School of Medicine.
More than 40 departments of the University are involved in the implementation of the educational programs of the School of Medicine. The School enrolls over 6,000 students, which accounts for more than 60% of the total student body (undergraduate – 4,153; internship – 1,871). In 2012, the first cohort of Bachelor of Medicine graduates (457 students) in the specialty “General Medicine” completed their studies.
Activities
The school's activities focus on developing its strategic growth plan, strengthening and expanding external relations with employers and educational authorities, and designing and enhancing educational programs in collaboration with university departments and structural subdivisions.
The school oversees the organization and progress of academic work, conducts analyses of examination session results, and develops proposals to optimize the educational process and improve the quality of instruction. In cooperation with department chairs, the school is responsible for faculty recruitment and ensuring the integrity of the educational process.
It directs the work of the School Council, monitors the execution of the school's work plans, and aligns them with the University’s overall development strategy. The school organizes the preparation for and actively participates in the accreditation of educational programs and post-accreditation monitoring. Furthermore, it maintains ongoing efforts to organize summer schools for the development of students' additional competencies and conducts continuous analysis of graduate competency attainment across various courses, disciplines, and modules.
Achievements
To foster a globally competitive generation with advanced linguistic proficiency, an experimental English-medium instruction group was established in 2009. Building on this success, multilingual groups have been systematically formed since 2012 as part of the university's trilingual education initiative.
In 2012, the Faculty, in collaboration with the Department of General Surgery, founded the "Veritas" Student Surgical Club. The club has consistently won prestigious international competitions and Olympiads in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Ufa. In 2019, the "Consilium" Student Therapeutic Club was established, covering five key areas of internal medicine. Today, the University hosts a vibrant ecosystem of student organizations, including "Alma-Mater," "Veritas," "Enactus," Surgery Trends, "Aesculapius," "Vita & Mors," KazMSA (part of IFMSA), Cardiology Club, and Consilium Therapy.
The University launched its inaugural Summer School in 2019, focusing on surgery and rehabilitation, with participants from AMU and leading medical schools in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, the Summer School curriculum offers 14 cycles in specialized medical fields. Despite the pandemic, the program continued in hybrid formats. In 2019, an international Summer School in surgery and therapy was hosted at Akdeniz University (Antalya, Turkey) for students from across the region.
That same year, the Faculty hosted the 1st International Medical Olympiad, bringing together 23 teams from six countries (Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia). Since 2012, the Faculty has maintained active academic mobility programs with institutions in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, South Korea, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, Poland, and Turkey.
Students in the "Medicine" and "General Medicine" programs are frequent recipients of prestigious awards, including the Presidential Scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the V.G. Korpachev Scholarship, and KazEnergy grants. Since 2025, the 6B10127 “Medicine” educational program has been implemented in collaboration with Nazarbayev University. Within the framework of the program, two cohorts have been selected and are currently studying in English. The academic staff have undergone the necessary training. Our students are also dedicated volunteers, organizing "Diabetes Day" events and providing support to University veterans, orphanages, and nursing homes.
Contact Information
49A Beibitshilik St., 2nd Floor, Rooms 205, 207, 209, 210, 212. Astana, Kazakhstan.
Tel: +7 (7172) 53 94 37, 53 94 40, 57 78 96 (ext. 357), 57 78 96 (ext. 239).
