Faculty Of Medicine In Belgrade Research Articles

Evaluation of the self-assessment knowledge regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation in medical students at the University of Belgrade.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a vital skill that can improve the outcome of patients with sudden cardiac arrest. To raise awareness about CPR some countries have introduced an obligatory First Aid Course (FAC), usually done parallelly to a driver's license (DL). While expected of doctors to know CPR, the curriculum of some medical schools does not seem to have enforced measures to improve that knowledge. The aim was to have students self-evaluate their current knowledge of CPR, comparing it before university and whether it improved during their studies. A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 using an anonymous questionnaire among students at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade (studies in English). A total of 172 (66.7%) students possessed a DL, of which 39.8% felt they were ready, 45.8% felt neutral, and 14.4% felt unable to perform CPR. The total number of students that completed a FAC during their studies was 165. Analysis was performed on the ability assessment data after the first FAC during studies, comparing it to FAC for DL and assessments at the end of studies. No statistically significant difference was observed in the level of self-reported ability to perform CPR, while a statistically significant difference was found in ability assessments when comparing only the FAC for the DL, and the one after the first FAC during medical studies, with students feeling more prepared after the FAC for DL. Across the sample, 90.2% of the students wished they had more CPR training during their medical studies. From this study, it may conclude that students wish and need more CPR training in their curriculum.

Balint grupni trening - teorija i praksa

With regard to the many years of cooperation between the Balint Society of Serbia and the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade (which, in recent years, has been realized through a promotional Balint workshop for GP residents), we believe that the application of the Balint method in continuous education would contribute to the improvement of doctors' professional performance. Balint education has shown excellent results for physicians of all medical specialties as well as for other healthcare professionals and associates (psychologists, special pedagogues, social workers, special education teachers, nurses) who want to improve their relationships with health care users, and it is especially helpful in the acquisition of skills necessary for working with "problem clients" as well as in the prevention of job burnout syndrome in healthcare professionals. The primary objective of this paper was to offer and present arguments on the importance of educational programs applying the Balint methodology, which is focused on the client-therapist relationship, and founded on psychoanalytic ideas. The secondary objective was to enhance awareness of the exceptional importance of the client-therapist relationship, which is of major therapeutic interest and essential to any treatment, and through participation and work in Balint groups, group members learn to understand and skillfully utilize the professional client/patient relationship. With its specific goals and methods, the education is beneficial to therapists, clients as well as health care institutions. A literature review was carried out regarding the previously published studies on the development, growth, and work dynamics of Balint groups and therapists i.e., counselors. Special attention was given to the discussions included in these studies, pertaining to the consequences of weaknesses, but also of strengths in the performance of Balint therapists. Attention was also paid to the issues related to the insufficient number of Balint groups and therapists that apply this practice in education, as well as to the support and assistance they are provided in regard to their work. The efficiency of Balint groups was also considered, including their contribution published in the literature, in addition to recommendations for overcoming this problem in the future. The founding father of this method, Michael Balint, a psychiatrist, started a training program for general practitioners (family physicians) more than 70 years ago, since he believed that they were specially overworked and burdened with a large number of patients and that improving doctors' knowledge in the field of psychology would facilitate their work. Later, this training program expanded, becoming more and more present in other branches of medicine. Today, Balint education is an integral part of medical studies and specialist training in psychiatry, gynecology, endocrinology, and family medicine in many European countries. Balint groups are intended for practitioners who professionally recognize the value of developing and deepening an empathic emotional relationship with their clients. These groups help doctors to reach a better understanding of a patient's overall condition, which in turn enhances the doctor's creative capacities to engage in the therapeutic process. In addition, the group process leads to a reduction in professional isolation that prevails among healthcare workers, contributing to the job burnout syndrome. Balint education enables a better connection between practitioners from different disciplines participating in the treatment. Thus, the Balint group members gain experience on the importance of alliance and cooperation in the treatment of their patients. Balint groups usually meet twice a month, during the academic year, giving participants the opportunity to become aware of what prevents them from having a better relationship with their clients as well as to find authentic answers that will reduce misunderstandings. Numerous studies have confirmed the importance of empathic relationships with clients in the provision of effective health care, and professionals also consider such relationships essential to their work. Balint groups are focused on reaching a better understanding through various associations, guided by a Balint leader, rather than on presenting ready-made solutions to a problem, which makes them applicable to a myriad of treatment situations.

Fotografsko odeljenje profesora Aleksandra Kostića - osnivanje, dometi i značaj

In 1924, Dr. Aleksandar Đ. Kostić, the first Professor of Histology and Embryology and the founder of the Institute of Histology at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, formed the Photography Department within the Institute. The first photographs were microphotographs of histological specimens and a certain number of them were published in 1925 in the Microphotographic Atlas of Normal Histology. However, a greater number of photographs were used for the preparation of microphotograms, that is, black and white diapositives which were shown during lectures and laboratory practices. In the following years, Professor Kostić expanded his photographic topics to pathohistological specimens, urine crystals, and bacteriological samples, operative and autopsy material, and embryological and teratological samples. A particularly important activity of the Department was making photographs of patients. Patients were photographed in hospitals or in the studio of the Photography Department. In addition to photographs, the first films entitled Blood flow in the peritoneal membrane of a frog and Blood flow in the interdigital membrane of a frog were made there. During the Second World War occupation, the Germans took away the photographic equipment and consumables, but after the liberation, at the beginning of 1946, the work was restored. In addition to photography, Professor Kostić organized filming and he directed the first medical films in the first post-war years. The Department was still the center of medical photography at the Faculty, while Professor Kostić was the head until 1952, when he was removed from the Faculty of Medicine due to political reasons.

(Un)equal and defiant to patriarchy: The first female Serbian doctors Draga Ljocic Milosevic and Smilja Kostic-Joksic and their place in the society

This paper analyses professional biographies of the first female Serbian doctor Draga Locic Milosevic (1855-1926) and Smilja Kostic-Joksic (1895-1981), a female paediatrician and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade. Although they did not belong to the same generation, their biographies have so much in common. Similarities are obvious especially considering their social status and political and intellectual elite?s attitude towards first educated women. Draga Locic, the first woman with diploma in medicine from Zurich University, was not able to find the job in the state medical institutions after returning to Belgrade. Only after being persistent and taking additional professional exams she managed to get position but only as a medical assistant, with twice lower salary than her male colleagues. She did not manage to achieve equal status until the end of the professional career. Doctor Draga Locic was a philanthropist, feminist and active suffragette. Her professional and educational heiress, female paediatrician and scientist Smilja Kostic-Joksic, managed to become a part of the intellectual elite but to a limited extend. Before the beginning of World War II she had an assistant status and was a woman with the highest academic status in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In the socialist Yugoslavia due to ideological disagreements, she was dismissed from the University. These two biographies are evident examples how concept of public patriarchy functions in practice. Public patriarchy is not conditioned with any chronological nor ideological context but instead, it is always present and dominant within the discourse of women?s position in the society.

Successful promotion of physical activity among students of medicine through motivational interview and Web-based intervention.

BackgroundRegular physical activity supports healthy behavior and contributes to the reduction of preventable diseases. Students in their social transition period are the ideal groups for interventions. The higher education period, associated with demanding changes and poor time management, results in a low level of physical activity. In this age, social media usually are a suitable channel of communication and multicomponent interventions are the most desirable. It has not been sufficiently investigated how effective a Web-based approach is among university students when it comes to physical activity in the long-term period. We combined a Web-based approach with motivational interviews and tested these two interventions together and separate to assess their impact on improving the physical activity of medical students 1 year after the intervention.MethodsAll 514 first-year students at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade were invited to fill in a baseline questionnaire. Also, they underwent measurement of weight, height and waist circumference. After that, students selected a 6 months intervention according to their preference: Intervention through social media (Facebook) (Group 1) or combined with a motivational interview (Group 2). Group 3 consisted of students without any intervention. One year after completion of the 6 months intervention period, all students were invited to a second comprehensive assessment. Analyses were performed employing a wide range of statistical testing, including direct logistic regression, to identify determinants of increased physical activity measured by an average change of Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET). This outcome measure was defined as the difference between the values at baseline and one year after completion of the 6 months intervention period.ResultsDue to a large number of potential determinants of the change of MET, three logistic regression models considered three groups of independent variables: basic socio-demographic and anthropometric data, intervention and willingness for change, and health status with life choices. The only significant model comprised parameters related to the interventions (p < 0.001). It accurately classified 73.5% of cases. There is a highly significant overall effect for type of intervention (Wald = 19.5, df = 2, p < 0.001) with high odds for the increase of physical activity. Significant relationship between time and type of intervention also existed (F = 7.33, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.091). The influence of both factors (time and interventions) led to a change (increase) in the dependent variable MET.ConclusionOur study confirmed the presence of low-level physical activity among students of medicine and showed that multicomponent interventions have significant potential for positive change. The desirable effects of the Web-based intervention are higher if an additional booster is involved, such as a motivational interview.

Zaostavština prof. dr Smilje Kostić-Joksić u Legatu dr Aleksandra Kostića u Grockoj

The Republic of Serbia was, after World War II, amongst the countries whose population underwent intensive BCG immunization, and the doctor who immensely contributed to the widespread application of the BCG vaccine in the territory of Yugoslavia (FPRY) was awarded the Legion of Honor in 1952. It was only in 2020. that the public learned that this doctor was Dr. Smilja Kostić-Joksić, renowned pediatrician, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, scientist, honorary member of the Serbian Medical Society and the Association of Pneumophthisiologists of Yugoslavia, member of the Association of Pediatricians in Paris, the first woman to become an assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, wife of the well-known scientist, Professor Aleksandar Đ. Kostić, and the mother of eminent composer and gastronome Vojislav Voki Kostić. During her successful career, in addition to her efforts in teaching pediatrics, she also worked as Chief Physician at the outpatient department of the Children's Hospital and as a doctor at the Counselling Center for Infants. She published over 120 papers in Serbian and French, in national and international journals, amongst them a large number of popular articles in the field of pediatrics. Half a century after her removal from the Faculty of Medicine and 20 years after her death, she was posthumously morally exonerated in 2001. The public was reminded of the importance of Dr. Kostić-Joksić and her work when work started on her husband's bequest. In 2018, the Dr. Aleksandar Kostić Legacy in the Municipality of Grocka was presented as a part of the newly restored heritage site Gročanska čaršija, within a gallery space adapted for this purpose at the Ilija GarašaninLibrary, where, just like in life, Dr. Smiljka Kostić found her place alongside her distinguished husband. Some of her few remaining personal belongings are on display, amongst them handbooks and other clinical laboratory diagnostics titles published in Serbia, as well as photo documentation that was compiled during her clinical work on tuberculosis issues in children.

The influence of music on cardiopulmonary parameters during a different intensity of physical exercise in the population of students

Introduction: It is known that music can reduce the sense of fatigue and pain during physical exercise as well as to affect the motivation. Physiological effects of music during submaximal intensity cardiopulmonary exercise tests can be examined using a treadmill. Aim: In this study we examined the impact of asynchronous music on cardiopulmonary parameters of students, while they were running on the treadmill on the moderate to high load. Also we examined the difference between these two conditions. Materials and methods: This study involved 6 students from the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, which were tested in the conditions with and without music. In order to determine maximal oxygen consumption, maximal exercise tests were conducted in advance. During the testing phase, cardiopulmonary parameters were measured in two different conditions: on 70% of maximal measured VO2 values and on 90% of previously measured maximal VO2 values respectively. Results: The breathing frequency, ventilation, exhaled CO2 volume, blood pressure were significantly increased (p<0.05) in terms of music on a moderate rate of 70% VO2 max. On high rate of 90% VO2 max, there has been no significant changes to the parameters (p>0.05) except a decrease in blood pressure and minimal increase in VO2/kg. Conclusion: This study confirmed the influence of music on cardiopulmonary parameters and demonstrated that it can affect respiratory variables only on moderate loads. Results showed that music does not affect respiratory variables on high loads, but there was a significant decrease in blood pressure in both, moderate and high loads.

Prof. Aleksandar Josifovich Ignjatovski, Founder and First Director of the Clinic for Internal Medicine and the First Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje, R. Macedonia.

Aleksandar J. Ignjatovski was born in the Smolensk Region, Russia, on 18.03.1875. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in St. Petersburg in 1899 where he started specialization in internal medicine and continued in Berlin, Heidelberg, Munich and Paris. In 1905 he was elected assistant professor in St. Petersburg, continued as an associate professor in Odessa in 1908 and a full-time professor in 1912 in Warsaw. During the October Revolution, he was the Head of the Internal Clinic in Rostov, and in 1920 he emigrated to Belgrade. In 1922 he was appointed full professor and Director of the First Internal Clinic at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, which he established, developed and managed until his retirement in 1946. In 1948 he moved to Skopje as a full professor and first Director of the Internal Clinic at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje. He studied the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and first proved it experimentally, and published a paper in 1908, indicating that it was associated with higher blood cholesterol level. He also dealt with immunobiology and infectious diseases, in particular tuberculosis and tetanus. Prof. A. Ignjatovski was an excellent clinician, teacher and scientist, who published over 80 papers. His most important textbooks are "Clinical Semiotics and Symptomatic Therapy", in two editions, in Russian (1919) and in Serbian (1929-37), and "The Basics of Internal Propedeutics" in three volumes, published in Skopje in 1952, 1954 and 1963. The work of Prof. A. Ignjatovski, as a leading clinician and a great teacher and scientist, is embedded in the development of internal medicine, and medicine in general, in Russia, Serbia and Macedonia. The bright memorial of the founder and first director of the Internal Medicine Clinic and the first Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje has been permanently incorporated in the history of medicine in R. Macedonia. Prof. A. Ignjatovski died on 18.08.1955.

АСЕРТИВНОСТ И ДЕПРЕСИВНА ЛИЧНОСТ СТУДЕНАТА ПЕДАГОШКОГ И МЕДИЦИНСКОГ УСМЕРЕЊА НА ПОЧЕТКУ СТУДИЈА

Assertiveness is the aspect of social competencies which is related to social adaptation, academic and professional achievement and social status but also to the problems of loneliness, anxiety and depressiveness. Since assertiveness and absence of depressive tendencies are important issues in professional competencies of teachers, pre-school teachers, medical doctors and medical technicians, this research was aimed at examining assertiveness and the presence of depressive personality traits in the students of the mentioned orientations. The total sample consisted of 521 subjects (162 students of the Faculty of Education of the UKG, 163 students Faculty of Teacher Education in Užice, 98 students of the Medical College in Ćuprija, 72 students of the Faculty of Medicine science in Kragujevac and 53 students Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade). Assertiveness was measured using the Scale for the assessment of assertiveness (A Scale) by Tovilović and associates, while depressiveness was examined by the Scale for the assessment of depressive personality (DP Scale) by Novović and associates. The results show that the highest percentage of students belongs to the category of average assertiveness and moderate depressiveness. No significant difference was found between the students of medical orientation and students of pedagogical orientation in relation to assertiveness (p=.498) and depressiveness (p=.159). A statistically significant low intensity negative correlation (r= -.287, p=.000) was found between the achievements of students on the assertiveness scale and the depressive personality scale. Despite the fact that the obtained results are encouraging, the percentage of students, prospective teachers and pre-school teachers as well as medical workers, with low and extremely low assertiveness as well as with prominent depressiveness, indicates the necessity for a planned activity towards the development of assertiveness during university studies and the implementation of prevention programs for the protection of mental health of young people during university studies.

Low Back Pain among Medical Students in Belgrade (Serbia): A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim To examine the prevalence of low back pain, to identify self-perceived triggers of low back pain, and to investigate the impact of perceived pain on the daily activities and mood among medical students. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 459 fourth year students at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade during December 2014. The anonymous questionnaire was used for data collection. In data analysis, the chi-square test and t-test were used. Results The lifetime prevalence of low back pain was 75.8%, 12-month prevalence 59.5%, and point prevalence 17.2%. Chronic low back pain was experienced by 12.4% of the students. Both the lifetime (p=0.001) and the 12-month (p=0.001) low back pain prevalence rates were significantly higher among female medical students. Mental stress during an exam period (p=0.001), sitting at the university (p=0.002), fatigue (p=0.043), improper body posture (p=0.005), and lack of exercise (p=0.001) as self-perceived triggers of low back pain were significantly more often reported by female students, compared to males. Regarding daily functioning, the experience of low back pain mostly affects students sleeping (14.6%) and walking (12.0%). Conclusions The prevalence of LBP is high among Belgrade medical students and significantly affects their everyday functioning.

Awareness and knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors among medical students.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of medical students in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors as well as to assess the impact of medical education on their knowledge and recognition of the importance of implementation of preventive measures. This cross-sectional study included 514 students in the second year of studying at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia (younger students response rate 79.57%) and 511 students in the last year of education (older students response rate 90.21%). For data collection, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used, which included two types of questions about CVD risk factors and questions about the student's attitude. Older students knew significantly more about CVD risk factors than students who were at the beginning of their medical studies; however, more than half of the older students did not know the correct answers about CVD risk factors. The only exceptions were questions about "bad" and "good" cholesterol, metabolic syndrome (MSy) and lipid lowering therapy in high risk subjects. Physical inactivity, obesity, type2 diabetes, smoking and hypertension were not ranked highly enough as important CVD risk factors. Compared groups of students did not significantly differ in attitude scores. The majority of them recognized CVD as the leading cause of death, had normal weight and knew their own blood pressure. Knowledge of medical students from Belgrade about CVD risk factors should be improved.

INVESTIGATION OF PRESENCE OF METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCI IN STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE

Resistance to methicillin in staphylococci is considered to be one of the most dangerous forms of bacterial resistances to antibiotics. Methicillinresistant staphylococci (MRS) are zoonotic agents which cause local and systemic infections in humans and animals, oft en with a fatal outcome due to the absence of adequate antibiotic therapy. People colonized with strains of MRS are asymptomatic carriers and reservoirs of these strains in human populations. Th e aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of strains of MRS among clinically healthy students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Belgrade. Th e study was conducted on 100 volunteers: 62 males and 38 females. Given that staphylococci are expected to be found in the highest percentage in the nose and on the armpit skin, the swabs were taken from these regions of each person. Blood agar was innoculated immediately on taking the swabs Aft er the incubation and isolation, the staphylococci were identifi ed to species level. Their susceptibility to methicillin was tested in a disk-diff usion test with cefoxitin. All strains which were found to be resistant to cefoxitin were investigated for the presence of mecA gene with PCR. Staphylococci were isolated in 146 out of the 200 swabs taken: there were 79 nose swabs and 67 axillar swabs positive for these bacteria. Seventeen isolates were resistant to cefoxitin and the presence of the mecA gene was confi rmed in seven, four of which were taken from the nose and three from the axillary region. The results of this research show that, being 6%, the prevalence of mecA-positive staphylococci in the population of clinically healthy students of veterinary medicine is significant. Th e percentage of methicillin-resistant staphylococci was higher in nose than in the axillar region of the students.

Ready to work or not quite? Self-perception of practical skills among medical students from Serbia ahead of graduation.

AimTo assess final year medical students’ self-perception of their practical skills.MethodsThe study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade during compulsory practical sessions in the period December 2-9, 2013 and 390 students agreed to participate (response rate 77.8%). The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, 21 questions on students' self-perception of their practical skills, and 1 question on students’ self-perceived readiness to start working with patients.ResultsCronbach’s α for the entire scale was 0.891. Students felt most confident about measuring arterial pulse and blood pressure and taking patients' history (average score 10 for all three skills) and least confident about placing a urinary catheter (average score 1) and suturing a wound (average score 2). They rated their readiness to work with patients with 5.0 out of 10.0 points. The total score did not correlate with students’ average mark (Spearman's ρ = 0.039; P = 0.460) and the average mark did not correlate with the self-perceived readiness to work with patients (Spearman's ρ = -0.048; P = 0.365).ConclusionOur study suggests that medical students lack confidence to perform various clinical procedures, particularly those related to surgical interventions. To improve students’ confidence, clinical curriculum should include either more hours of practical work or ensure closer supervision of practical training in wards.

Continuing medical education in Serbia with particular reference to the Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade.

Continuing Medical Education (CME), conceptualised as lifelong learning (LLL) aims at improving human resources and continuing professional development. Various documents of European institutions underline its key importance. This paper therefore tries to analyse the current status of CME and the main deficits in the delivery of LLL courses at medical faculties in Serbia with special consideration of the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade with detailed financial data available. Data of 2,265 medical courses submitted in 2011 and 2012 for accredita- tion were made available, thereof 403 courses submitted by 4 medical faculties in Serbia (Belgrade, Kragujevac, Nil, Novi Sad). A subset of more detailed information on 88 delivered courses with 5,600 participants has been provided by the Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade. All data were transferred into an Excel file and analysed with XLSTAT 2009. To reduce the complexity and possible redundancy we performed a principal component analysis (PCA). Correlated component regression (CCR) models were used to identify determinants of course participation. During the 2-year period 12.9% of all courses were submitted on pre-clinical and 62.4% on clinical topics, 12.2% on public health, while 61.5% of all took place in Belgrade. The subset of the Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade comprised 3,471 participants registered with 51 courses accredited and delivered in 2011 and 2,129 participants with 37 courses accredited and delivered in 2012. The median number of participants per course for the entire period was 45; the median fee rates for participants were 5,000 dinars in 2011 and 8,000 in 2012, resulting together with donations--in a total income for both years together of 16,126,495.00 dinar or almost 144,000.00 euro. This allowed for a median payment of approximately 90 eur per hour lectured in 2011 and 49 euro in 2012. The 2 factors, D1 (performance) and D2 (attractiveness), identified in the PCA for Medical Faculties in Serbia, explain 71.8% of the variance. Most relevant are the duration of the courses, credit points" and hours per credit point gained by lecturers and participants respectively. In the PCA for Belgrade D1 and D2 explain 40.7% of the total variance. The CCR on the number of participants reveals the highest positive impact from the number of lecturers per course and the expenditure on amenities, the highest negative impact from the total income collected per participant. The faculties of medicine in Serbia should reconsider the entire structure of their organisation of CME, especially to improve the quantity and quality of registration limit the course fee rates per hour and reduce administrative and other costs request lecturing in CME programmes as obligatory for academic promotion and organise a focused marketing.

Skeletal Manifestations of Hydatid Disease in Serbia: Demographic Distribution, Site Involvement, Radiological Findings, and Complications

Although Serbia is recognized as an endemic country for echinococcosis, no information about precise incidence in humans has been available. The aim of this study was to investigate the skeletal manifestations of hydatid disease in Serbia. This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical database of Institute for Pathology (Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade), a reference institution for bone pathology in Serbia. We reported a total of 41 patients with bone cystic echinococcosis (CE) during the study period. The mean age of 41 patients was 40.9±18.8 years. In 39% of patients, the fracture line was the only visible radiological sign, followed by cyst and tumefaction. The spine was the most commonly involved skeletal site (55.8%), followed by the femur (18.6%), pelvis (13.9%), humerus (7.0%), rib (2.3%), and tibia (2.3%). Pain was the symptom in 41.5% of patients, while some patients demonstrated complications such as paraplegia (22.0%), pathologic fracture (48.8%), and scoliosis (9.8%). The pathological fracture most frequently affected the spine (75.0%) followed by the femur (20.0%) and tibia (5.0%). However, 19.5% of patients didn't develop any complication or symptom. In this study, we showed that bone CE is not uncommon in Serbian population. As reported in the literature, therapy of bone CE is controversial and its results are poor. In order to improve the therapy outcome, early diagnosis, before symptoms and complications occur, can be contributive.

Teaching English for Medical Academic Purposes at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia

The Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia, has a long tradition of learning and teaching English for Medical Academic Purposes (EMAP). EMAP is considered extremely important for our medical students' academic and professional life. Our EMAP syllabus is based on an integrated approach to the four language skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), although writing is emphasised as the most demanding and valuable skill.

Stress and mental health among medical students

Medical studies bring many stressful activities to students. Prolonged stress can make adverse effects to mental health and lead to further professional burnout. The aim of this study was to assess the association of stress impact and adverse effects of medical studies with psychological distress among medical students. The cross sectional study was conducted on 367 fourth-year medical students of the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, by means of the anonymous questionnaire, containing: socio-demographic data, self-reported health status and stressful influences of studying activities. Mental health status was estimated by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). More than 50% of students perceive frequent feeling of psychic tension, and one third has problems with insomnia. Nearly one-half of students assessed their general stress level as moderate or high. Exams were estimated as high stressor in 63.1% of all students. Stressful effects of communication with teaching staff were reported by one quarter of the examinees. The scores of GHQ-12 were above the threshold in 55.6% of all students. Mental health problems among students were most significantly associated with stressful experience during exams and contacts with teaching staff. Academic stress makes great influence on mental health of medical students. Reduction of stress effects should be directed to optimization of the examination process and improvement of communication skills.

Knowledge and occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among health care workers and medical students

Health workers and medical students are at occupational risk of blood-borne diseases during the accidents, that is, via percutaneous injury or entry of blood or body fluids through the mucosa or injured skin. to review and analyze the knowledge, attitudes and perception of risks of bloodborne diseases of the clinical course students and health workers as well as the frequency of accidents. Cross-sectional study was carried out among the students of the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, and health workers of the Clinical Center of Serbia. The subjects responded anonymously to questionnaire specially designed for the study. Both students and health workers were aware, in a high percentage, of the fact that the risk of hepatitis B spread was about 30%. Significantly more students gave affirmative reply that blood as biological material was a potential hazard of HIV infection spread (p = 0.001), and significantly more students knew that HIV would not be spread by sweat (p = 0.001). Hepatitis B vacci-nation was administered only to 24.1% of students and 71.4% of health workers. About 10% of students and 65.5% of health workers experienced some accident. There was no significant difference of accidents bet-ween nurses/technicians and physicians (p > 0.05), as well as of accidents and a total length of service (p > 0.05). The majority of accidents occurred during the use of needle/sharp object (in 27.3% of students and 33.1% of health workers). About 40% of students and slightly over a half of the workers reported the accidents to appropriate authorities. Additional education in this field is considered necessary by 73% of students. During the studies and via continuous medical education it is necessary to upgrade the level of knowledge on prevention of accidents, what would, at least partially, influence their reduction.

Medical students' knowledge about hospital infections

The aim of this study was to show the differences in the knowledge level about hospital infections between medical students having studied according to the old and new education programs. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia. The anonymous self-administrated questionnaires were distributed to all third year students. In 2000, the students followed the "old" system of education, and in 2007 they followed the new curriculum according to the Bologna Process. The questionnaires were answered and returned by 79.8% of students who had the "old" education program and by 71.9% of students having a "new" curriculum. The latter students knew more about the definition of hospital infections (p < 0.001), their reservoirs (p < 0.05), the importance of endogenous reservoirs (p < 0.001), etiology (p < 0.001), transmission (p < 0.001) and prevention (p < 0.001). A greater number of students studying according to the new program recognized that the contact was the most frequent mode of transmission (p < 0.001). The students with the new program of studies knew more about hospital infections. This difference may be attributed to the previous course in epidemiology and earlier clinical practice that covered these topics. Although all of the students stated they knew which mode of transmission was the most frequent, when asked in specific terms about the hand hygiene, the "new" curriculum students stated to have intermediate knowledge, and the "old" curriculum students showed a substantial lack of knowledge. It is important to increase their knowledge level and compliance with the hand hygiene. The knowledge about hospital infections seems to have been improved by theoretical and practical sessions during early clinical training by the Bologna curriculum.

History of dermatology and venereology in Serbia – Part IV/1: Dermatovenereology in Serbia from 1919 – 1945

Abstract After the First World War, Serbia was ravaged and in ruins, whereas the Health Care Service was destroyed. Organization and reorganization of the Health Care Service started with a fight against the spread of infectious diseases. Foundation of specialized health institutions was among the first tasks. As early as 1920, an Outpatient Service forSkin and Venereal Diseases was established and managed by Prof. Đorđe Đorđević. In 1922, after he was appointed as Associate Professor at the newly established Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, he founded a Clinic for Skin andVenereal Diseases, and acted as its first director. In 1928, a Municipal Outpatient Clinic for Skin and Venereal Diseases was founded, whereas in 1938 a modern organization of the Service was established in a new building. After a break during the I World War, the Dermatovenereology Department of the General Military Hospital in Belgrade, founded in 1909, continued working until the Second World War. In Novi Sad, the City Hospital was founded in 1909, including a Dermatovenereology Department. After the First World War, in 1921, Dr. Jovan Nenadović founded a Department of Skinand Venereal Diseases (100 beds) in the General Public Hospital, as well as, an independent Public Outpatient Clinic for free-of-charge treatment of patients with venereal diseases. In Niš, the first Organization Unit for Venereal Diseases was founded in 1912, but the Department of Venereal Diseases was founded in 1921, and it was managed by Dr. Petar Davidović, while in 1927 a Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases was established within the General PublicHospital. In 1920, a Dermatovenereology Department of the Military Hospital in Niš was established. Apart from these, as early as 1921, there was a total of 7 Outpatient Clinics in Serbia, and in 1923 there were 14 venereal departments, and 1 dermatovenereology department.