Chair of General medical practice with a course of evidence-based medicine

The history of the creation

At the end of the 90s, reforms of primary health care began in Kazakhstan the introduction of family medicine, which is widespread in civilized countries. In this connection, the Chairman of the Health Committee of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Tolebai Rakhypbekov issued an order on the organization of the Department of family medicine at medical universities for the training of specialists in family medicine.

The organization of the new Department was entrusted to the most experienced Professor Venera Omarova, under whose leadership the Department of Family Medicine was established in November 1998.

Since February 1999, Professor Rafail Rozenson, MD, has been appointed head of the Department. Since December 2000, the Chair has been headed by Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Konstantin Garkalov. During the leadership of Garkalov K., within the framework of a joint project of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the British Council, speakers from far abroad were invited to exchange experience in General Practice from the USA. In 2005, the head of the Department was appointed Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Duman Turebekov. With the assistance of the Department, the Association of Family Doctors of the Republic of Kazakhstan was organized.

Since its formation, the Department has gone through several stages of reorganization: the Department of Family Medicine, the Department of General Practitioners Training. Since 2007, the Department has been reorganized into the Department of General Medical Practice No. 1. In 2007, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Gulmira Derbissalina was appointed to head the newly formed Department. Since 2020, the Department has been renamed "General Medical practice with a course of evidence-based medicine"

Mission

The department aims to train highly qualified, socially responsible healthcare professionals who play a key role in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients, improving their health. Additionally, the department is committed to conducting cutting-edge medical research and fostering innovation in education.

Goals:

1. Ensure a high standard of quality and innovation in student-centered medical education.

2. Integrate medical education and research activities.

3. Continuously strive for the highest quality in medical education and practical training of healthcare professionals.

Objectives:

1.     To raise and maintain standards of high-quality medical education.

2.     To improve the professional competencies of students.

3.     To integrate the principles of evidence-based medicine into student education, facilitating effective decision-making based on the latest scientific data.

4.     To broaden international collaboration by engaging experts from diverse countries, fostering knowledge exchange and elevating the level of student preparation.

5.     To engage in research activities, with the publication of results in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to participation in the international scientific dialogue.

6.     To support students' scientific initiatives and cultivate their interest in active participation within the scientific community.

7.     To implement innovative teaching methods and employ contemporary technologies to maximize the efficiency of the educational process.

Activity

Educational Activities

The department's curriculum spans from first- to sixth-year students and includes courses on internal medicine for general practitioners, fundamentals of scientific research, and evidence-based medicine across all specialties.

The department also provides academic supervision for master's and PhD students and offers training in core, specialized, and elective courses for both programs.

The teaching staff of the department applies various teaching methods during classes, including "role-playing games - doctor-patient", "brainstorming", "small group work", "Kahoot", etc. The department actively introduces and uses innovative interactive teaching methods in the form of TBL, CBL, PBL, RBL, taking examinations by the method of OSCE. The staff of the department regularly conducts educational and methodological training seminars on interactive teaching methods, testology, communication skills for university faculty.

Teachers of the department regularly improve their pedagogical and communicative competencies and participate in educational and methodological conferences both in Kazakhstan and abroad.

Clinical activities:

Clinical bases of the department are medical organizations of primary health care (City Polyclinics № 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, Medical Center "Green Clinic", Republican Center for Primary Health Care, Center of Traditional Medicine), where students of the 5th year study on the module "Basics of general medical practice", including the discipline "Fundamentals of internal diseases in the work of GP" and the passage of professional practice "Assistant of general practitioner".

At the clinical bases, the department staff carries out patient reception, supervise patients in day hospital, provide consultative support to doctors in matters of diagnosis and treatment, participate in the examination of medical documentation, in consiliums, organize seminars and lectures to improve the qualifications of medical staff.

Scientific activity:

The teaching staff is actively engaged in research activities, takes part as speakers at international scientific-practical conferences held in near and far abroad countries, publishes the results of scientific activities in rating journals, develops methodological recommendations and manuals in the state, Russian and English languages.

Participation in scientific and innovative projects:

PhD Nurgalyieva N. in 2011-2012 was a consultant of the joint project of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the WHO European Office of the project "Adaptation of the health care system to climate change in the Republic of Kazakhstan" and for the important contribution to the implementation of the project was recognized with gratitude from the WHO European Office.

Head of the department, Candidate of medical sciences Derbissalina G., MSc Bekbergenova Zh. in 2013-2015 participated in the working group of the international project "TEMPUS" - "Establishment of the Supra-Regional Network of the National Centers in medical education, focused on PBL and Virtual Patients".

MSc Bekbergenova Zh. in 2015-2018 was a trainer of tutors of the international Erasmus+ project "Training against medical errors: TAME".

In 2017, candidate of medical sciences Derbissalina G. and PhD Nurgalyieva N. under the guidance of Doctor of medical sciences, Professor Seisembekov T. won the grant funding of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and participated in the project "Integrated prevention and reduction of mortality from major cardiovascular diseases in primary health care, taking into account climatic, meteorological and environmental factors of the region".

Candidate of Medical Sciences Derbissalina G. and PhD Umbetzhanova A. from 2018 to 2020 participated in the international project Erasmus+: ProInCa "Promoting innovative capacity of higher education in nursing".

In 2019 PhD Umbetzhanova A., candidate of medical sciences Zhunussova D., MSc Bekbergenova Zh. acted as key experts in the World Bank Project "Consulting services for the development of professional environment of nursing professionals and improvement of the system of retraining of nurses. Contract No. SHIP-2.3/CS-18".

Since November 2020, Candidate of Medical Sciences Derbissalina G., Candidate of Medical Sciences Zhunussova D., MSc Bekbergenova Zh, MSc Masharipova A., MSc Batarbekova Sh. and master students of the department participate in the Erasmus project "Accelerating Master and PhD level nursing education development in the higher education system in Kazakhstan AccelEd". In parallel MSc Bekbergenova Zh. - senior researcher in the project grant funding Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan IRN AP14870224 "Development of an effective program of prevention and treatment of cardiovascular complications in patients with liver cancer in the process of chemotherapy using modern innovative technologies.

In October 2023, under the leadership of Derbissalina G., the staff of the department PhD Kassym L., MSc Alibekova G. and MSc Zemlyanskaya N. became the winners of the competition for intra-university grant funding of two innovative projects: "Optimization of visibility of scientific profiles of researchers of medical universities" and "Summer Intensive for future doctoral students (Pre-PhD Program)".

Achievements:

For two consecutive years, 2019 and 2020, the department was ranked first in the clinical department ranking.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, the department ranked in the top 20 among all departments in the university for achieving KPIs.

The Department of General practice with a course of evidence-based Medicine is a graduating department for bachelors of the university in the specialty "General Medicine" (700-900 graduates annually).

Candidate of medical sciences Kelimberdiyeva E. since 2017 is the executive secretary of the final state attestation commission of students of the 5th course on the educational program "General Medicine".

The staff of the department took an active part in the process of accreditation of educational programs "General Medicine" and "Nursing Science", as well as in conducting the Self-Assessment Procedure of Institutional Accreditation of NJSC "Astana Medical University" in accordance with the requirements of WFME/AMSE standards in the field of medical and pharmaceutical education.

Also, members of the department continue to actively participate in the activities of dissertation councils. Since the beginning of February 2022, the duties of the academic secretary for the specialty "Public Health" successfully performs PhD Umbetzhanova A., who replaced in this position PhD Nurgaliyeva N.

Every year the teaching staff publishes educational and methodical literature covering modern aspects of evidence-based medicine, general medical practice and nursing in three languages.

Faculty members of the department are members of professional associations of both national and international level: Association of Family Doctors of Kazakhstan, Association of Cardiologists of Kazakhstan, Russian Society of Cardiology, ISPOR, Council on Hypertension, European Association of Acute Cardiovascular Care (ACVC), European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), Heart Failure Association of the ESC (HFA), European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI).

All members of the department annually participate in professional development activities, undergo internships/training abroad, participate in outgoing academic mobility programs and apply innovative educational technologies in their work.

Under the guidance of the teaching staff of the department, students of Student scientific society and young scientists annually participate in scientific and practical conferences, achieving outstanding results and winning prizes. Thus, in 2023, under the guidance of the assistants of the department MSc Zemlyanskaya N. and MSc Alibekova G., the 5th year students of the School of Medicine Sadykova A.J. and Vervein A.A. took the 2nd place in the Republican competition of research works of students in the direction of "General Medicine".

Teachers of the department give lectures to doctors, nursing specialists, teachers of medical universities, medical organizations, higher medical colleges, organize academic mobility and seminars with the involvement of speakers from Russia, Uzbekistan, Slovenia, Canada, USA and Finland. In 2022 within the framework of academic mobility program was organized the visit of D.I. Marapov, Associate Professor of the Department of Public Health, Economics and Health Management of Kazan State Medical Academy, who conducted a training course "Medical Statistics" for masters, doctoral students and teachers of our university. In 2023, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Clinical Pulmonology and Phthisiatry of the Center for the Development of Professional Qualification of Medical Workers of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ubaidullaeva N. conducted practical classes on the block "Pulmonology" for the 5th year of specialty "General Medicine".

Employees of the department have letters of thanks, awards both from the university, medical organizations and from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Derbissalina G. in 2021 was awarded the title "The best teacher of the medical university" of the republican award "Алтын шипагер - 2021".

Akhmetova D. was awarded with the medal "Еңбек ардагері" of the AMU in 2022.

Zhunussova D. ‒ winner in the nomination "The best teacher of clinical departments" on the rating of educational activities of the teaching staff of NJSC "Astana Medical University" in 2020 and awarded the medal "Күміс төсбелгісімен марапатталады" in 2023.

Umbetzhanova A. and Bekbergenova Zh. are recognized as "The best scientists of clinical departments" according to the rating of scientific activity of the faculty of NJSC "Astana Medical University" in 2020. Also Bekbergenova Zh. is the winner in the nomination "Жас дарын" in 2014 and "Best Young Scientist" according to the rating of scientific activity of the faculty of NJSC "Astana Medical University" in 2020.

Yussubaliyeva S. was awarded the medal "Aesculapius - III century BC" in 2016.

Cand. Med. Sci. Rakhymgaliyeva Gaukhar was awarded the medal “Медицины қызметкерлері күніне орай, білім және ғылым саласының дамуына қосқан зор үлесі үшін”.

PhD Kassym Laura was recognized in the "Zhas daryn" category in 2024 and awarded the Honorary Certificate by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Қазақстан Республикасының жоғары білім және ғылым саласын дамытуға елеулі үлес қоса отырып, өркендеу жолында атқарған абыройлы еңбегі мен адал қызметі үшін”.

MSc Alibekova Gulzhan received the Bronze Badge of Astana Medical University in 2024.

Awarded the badge of honor "Денсаулық сақтау ісінің үздігі":

Cand. Med. Sci. Derbissalina G.

Cand. Med. Sci. Rakhymgaliyeva G.

PhD Nurgaliyeva N.

MSc Bekbergenova Z.

MSc Zemlyanskaya N.

Awarded the badge of honor “Денсаулық сақтау ісіне қосқан үлесі үшін”:

Cand. Med. Sci. Derbissalina G.

Cand. Med. Sci. Rakhymgaliyeva G.

Contact data

Аstana, 47, Abay Ave. 8th floor, 811 office

phone number: 8 (7172) 44 41 98

e-mail: generalpractice.amu@gmail.com

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