P5.12: Education of Medical Students on Organ Donation and Transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: We have been teaching transplantology since 2017 within the 72-hour course for sixth-year students. We analyze this experience in order to increase activities and manage inequalities in organs transplantation. Methods: The educational program consists of seven topics: 1) selection and preparation of transplant recipients; 2) artificial organs; 3) organ donation; 4) technical aspects of organs transplantation; 5) immunosuppression after organs transplantation; 6) postoperative management of transplant recipients; 7) infectious diseases during organs transplantation. Part of the classes was online with correction of the teaching design and technical support because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been evaluated the role of the knowledge gained at the previous stages оf educational process and the possibility of solving key regional transplant problems based on training. Results: From September 2017 to February 2022, 1400 students have had specific training on transplantation. All of them show a positive attitude towards proposed program. Study of transplantology allow summarizing the data from the wide list of disciplines and it shows how great their practical significance is. The initial level of knowledge presupposes the use of previously studied theoretical and clinical material, including questions of anatomy, physiology, diagnostics and treatment of diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas and brain. Students should, but not always can evaluate properly the functions of vital organs at various stages of their diseases. Especially this concerns the brain death as a criterion of human death and the criterion for stopping resuscitation. Also it was found that the main attention at the previous stages of students’ training is paid to conservative therapy of end-stage organ failure and this requires appropriate retraining of other teachers in order to form a positive opinion about the modern possibilities of transplant surgery. “Quality of life” as a criterion of choice in the treatment of end-stage organ failure should also be considered at all stages of education. The purposeful and active focus of the new generation of future doctors on the issues of transplantation in the next 5-10 years will allow eliminating the key regional transplant problems, such as late referral of patients, organs shortage and imperfect logistics. Conclusion: Today`s medical students will be tomorrow’s doctors and implementation of specific programs on transplantation should be considered as a reasonable step. Interdisciplinary integration as a tool that allows carrying out the necessary activities in organs transplantation requires improving the cause-effect relationships between the knowledge acquired at different stages of education. In the future, this will provide the necessary conditions for the widespread introduction of organs transplantation within the framework of public confidence based on common values and ideas.