Specialist Training Research Articles

THE POSSIBILITIES OF USING VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN CARDIOLOGY

Justification. Technological innovations have revolutionized medical practice, especially in the field of cardiac surgery, where the complex nature of interventions requires precision and foresight. The use of virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in this field opens up huge prospects for improving preoperative planning, improving the quality of medical education and, ultimately, improving patient treatment outcomes. Aim. to analyze the literature on the role of VR/AR in modern cardiology, to discuss the current role and future directions in this field. Material and methods. As a result of the search, 3,858 publications were extracted from PubMed/MEDLINE, 69 publications from eLibrary and 1,115 publications found using Google Scholar. The search queries included the following keywords and their combinations: virtual reality, augmented reality, cardiology, cardiac surgery, virtual reality, augmented reality, cardiology, cardiac surgery. Search time interval: since the foundation of the corresponding database until May 2024. Results. Modern cardiological care includes increasingly complex procedures that require a high level of expertise. VR is becoming a powerful tool for both pre-procedural planning and educational events. VR opens up new opportunities for education and training of specialists in the field of cardiology. With its help, you can create realistic simulations of various situations that doctors may encounter in their work. This allows students to gain hands-on experience without risking real patients. Conclusion. The integration of VR into cardiology practice has great potential, but for full integration it is necessary to solve a number of problems. It is necessary to develop standards for the safety and effectiveness of using VR for medical purposes. Additional research is also needed to assess the long-term health effects of VR use on patients.

WAYS OF IMPROVING FOREIGN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION DURING STUDENTS' PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

The article examines the issue of developing foreign language communicative competence of students as the primary goal of language learning in the context of professional training of future specialists. It is argued that the most relevant cognitive-linguistic, operational-linguistic and communicative competences for professionally oriented foreign language learning are the ones which enable the use of language as a means of obtaining professionally significant information through reading and participating in oral and written professional communication. The views of domestic and foreign scholars regarding the definition of foreign language communicative competence and its component structure are analyzed. All components of foreign language communicative competence are interrelated and interdependent, forming a complex, holistic, systematic, and structured entity. The process of foreign language learning should be aimed at the gradual cultivation of foreign language communicative competence components, using the most effective teaching forms, methods and tools. The forms, methods and tools for conducting productive classes are highlighted as those focused on activating cognitive activity, developing foreign language communicative competence, overcoming language, speech and socio-cultural communication difficulties. Attention is drawn to the expediency of using innovative teaching methods such as role-playing games, discussions, project-based methods, quests, as they are person-centered and create conditions for the enhancement of students' creative thinking and provide a good opportunity to acquire and apply foreign language knowledge due to the emergence of internal motivation. The research results in the context of future specialists' motivation to master foreign language communication skills and abilities are presented.

Working Together to Implement Gender-Responsive Policing: Gender Advisory Work in Timor-Leste

For sustainable development to occur in post-conflict contexts, security concerns need to be addressed. Gender-responsive policing aims to provide policing for all community members. The Timor-Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP) is a bilateral partnership between Timor-Leste and Australia, supporting the Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) to develop capacity in areas of identified need. This includes reducing sexual and gender-based violence. Delivered by the Australian Federal Police, the program is informed by a gender strategy that reflects international agreements on gender, security, and human rights. This article draws on program design, evaluations, reports, and experience, to explore how strategic objectives on gender have been translated into practical initiatives of the TLPDP. Initiatives include a gender audit of the PNTL, a scoping review of the vulnerable persons units, specialist training courses, and community awareness campaigns. The article highlights the role of strategic alignment, partnership, and collaboration within and beyond policing to amplify efforts.

Principles of the Orthogeriatric Model of Care: A Primer

It is well known that over the last few decades, there has been significant growth of the aging population worldwide and especially in Europe, with an increase of more than two years per decade since the 1960’s. Currently, in Europe, people aged over 65 years old represent 20% of the population, creating many new and complex challenges for national healthcare systems. In many countries, geriatric medicine is an established medical specialty, integrated into the primary and secondary care of the older population. In some countries, such as Portugal, specialist training in geriatric medicine is not available, even though the life-expectancy in Portugal is currently 81 years due to a decrease in fertility and mortality, and people aged over 60 currently represent nearly a third of the population. There is strong evidence in the medical literature that a fracture following a fall, and especially a neck of femur fracture, is one of the most serious events that can happen in an older person’s lifetime. These fractures have been associated with increased morbidity, loss of independence, a high rate of institutionalization, and mortality. Rates of mortality after a year from femoral fractures have been proven to be three to four times higher than the expected in the general population, ranging between 15% to 36%. This emphasizes the importance of developing well-organized care pathways for these patients, which combine specialized geriatric care (also known as orthogeriatric care). This narrative review will focus on the core principles of orthogeriatric care and how medical professionals, including those who are not specialized in geriatric care, can effectively use them.

Academic Mobility as a Strategic Vector of Quality Training of Future Specialists in the Era of Globalisation and Development of Educational Innovations

The article reveals the essence and analyses the conceptual foundations of academic mobility through the prism of its impact on the quality of educational services in modern universities. The close connection between academic mobility, globalisation processes and the rapid development of educational innovations aimed at integrating national higher education systems into a unified European educational area and the global knowledge society is emphasised. It stresses that academic mobility is one of the most important features of the modern education system and an effective tool for improving the quality of human capital. Based on analysis of academic literature and legal documents, the essence of the terms «mobility» and «academic mobility» is presented and the types and forms of academic mobility are defined. It is noted that one of the indicators of successful development of the global market of educational services is international academic mobility, participation in which contributes not only to improving the quality and competitiveness of the national higher education system in the global market of educational services, but also to improving mutual understanding between peoples and cultures, optimising educational intercultural communication, creating conditions for professional and personal self-realisation, formation of highly qualified specialists capable of acting effectively in a dynamic world. The article describes international academic exchange programmes aimed at supporting research and innovation in the field of education and science.

Psychological and Pedagogical Support for Future Technology Teachers in the Educational-Scientific-Production Cluster

The article examines the importance of psychological and pedagogical support in the training process of future technology teachers, particularly in the context of modern educational challenges and the full-scale war. This support is aimed at developing emotional intelligence, stress resilience, preventing professional burnout, improving communication skills, and providing supervision. The research emphasizes the formation of teachers' professional identity, as well as their ability for self-analysis and self-reflection. Special attention is given to methods of coping with emotional stress during the war, including relaxation techniques, stress management, the use of positive thinking, and maintaining a work-life balance. The article is based on the experience of the Social and Psychological Center of the Lviv Educational-Scientific-Production Cluster, which focuses its efforts on supporting future teachers through supervision, training, and consultations. The cluster integrates theoretical knowledge, scientific research, and practical training for specialists in the fields of vocational education and production. This model of teacher training is aimed at enhancing their qualifications, developing professional competencies, and adapting to the demands of the modern labor market. The study explores the key stages of teacher training, which include foundational theoretical preparation, scientific research, practical internships at production enterprises, and further professional development. Special attention is paid to the implementation of innovative teaching approaches and the use of modern technologies that enable future teachers not only to master new teaching methodologies but also to integrate contemporary production processes into educational programs.

Position Paper of the German Society for Interventional Radiology and Minimally Invasive Therapy (DeGIR) and the German Roentgen Society (DRG) on Structural and Professional Requirements in Interventional Oncology.

Interventional oncology (IO) employs various techniques to enable minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of tumor diseases with both curative and palliative goals. Additionally, it significantly contributes to managing tumor-related and perioperative complications, offering diverse supportive procedures for patients at all stages of their diseases. The execution of IO procedures places unique demands on the equipment, personnel, and structural organization of radiological clinics, necessitating specific expertise from interventional radiologists.This position paper aims to comprehensively outline the multifaceted aspects of IO and discuss the requisite criteria for hospitals, radiological clinics, and interventional radiologists (IRs). Furthermore, it underscores overarching considerations of quality assurance that clinics and professional societies should prioritize.The requirements for hospitals, radiological clinics, and IRs are varied and demand not only a high level of proficiency in performing IO procedures but also in-depth knowledge of the differential therapy for various tumor diseases. This expertise is essential for effectively serving as clinical partners in the interdisciplinary treatment of oncologic patients. Additionally, a thorough understanding and safe handling of ionizing radiation technologies, along with proficiency in radiation protection methods, which are fundamental aspects of radiological specialist training, is crucial for ensuring the safety of IO procedures for both patients and staff. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Interventionelle Radiologie und minimal-invasive Therapie (DeGIR) and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) have long-established dedicated quality management programs, accrediting radiology clinics and certifying IRs. These initiatives aim to uphold the highest standards of care and meet the quality expectations set by politics in healthcare system, particularly in the realm of interventional radiology. · The various procedures in the field of interventional oncology (IO) are complex medical interventions that require not only the most advanced technical equipment but also adequate human resources, particularly specialized expertise in interventional radiology, diagnostic imaging, oncology, and radiation protection.. · This expertise is an integral part of the specialized medical training in radiology and is certified by professional societies such as the German Society for Interventional Radiology (DeGIR) and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE).. · Professional societies like DeGIR, CIRSE, and the American Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) establish the necessary quality assurance framework for comprehensive, high-quality IO therapy through quality assurance (QA) registries, standard operating procedure (SOP) documents, and participation in guideline development.. · Currently, radiology is the only discipline that provides physicians with the theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, and competencies required to perform the demanding procedures in the field of IO through specialized training programs and tailored certification processes.. · Isfort P, Sommer CM, Bruners P et al. Position Paper of the German Society for Interventional Radiology and Minimally Invasive Therapy (DeGIR) and the German Roentgen Society (DRG) on Structural and Professional Requirements in Interventional Oncology. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2024; DOI 10.1055/a-2373-1013.

Analysis of the Russian market of educational programs in the field of additional professional education for specialists of pharmaceutical companies

Abstract Aim conduct an analysis of the Russian market of educational programs in the field of additional professional education for specialists of pharmaceutical companies. Material and methods. The analysis of the market of educational programs was based on the data of the annual reporting of a number of institutions of higher education (reports on the results of the annual self-examination, reports on the results of activities and on the use of assigned state property, monitoring in the main areas of the educational institution of higher education, information and analytical materials based on the results of monitoring the effectiveness of activities educational institutions of higher education) for the period from 2017 to 2021. Based on data obtained, the share indicators of educational organizations in the Russian market of educational services in the field of additional education for specialists of pharmaceutical enterprises were determined. The share indicator was used to determine the concentration of educational services and the level of competition in the market using the concentration index and the Herfindahl-Hirschman index. In addition, during the work, such methods of analysis as generalization, methods of logical, systemic and comparative analysis, expert forecasting were used. Results. Based on the analysis, data were obtained on the profitability of the market for additional professional education services for pharmaceutical industry specialists; the presence of a high level of concentration of educational services in the market of additional professional education with a slight level of competition was established; the features of the implementation of additional professional training for specialists in the pharmaceutical industry are determined. Conclusion. The importance of additional professional education for specialists in the pharmaceutical industry has been confirmed. The further direction of development of the sphere of additional professional education for workers of pharmaceutical enterprises has been determined. The increase in the Russian market of additional educational programs based on current data on the development of the industry was justified. Recommendations have been formulated to expand the currently implemented programs of additional professional education based on the growing needs of the pharmaceutical market.

Peculiarities of developing the cognitive-prognostic component of future teachers’ soft skills

Introduction. In the modern vocational education system, there is a significant shortage of highly qualified and competent teachers who are able to teach students effectively and prepare them for real professional challenges. Convergence in education and industries places new demands on vocational teacher education, who must have developed soft skills necessary for professional development. A new methodology and procedures for their formation at university is needed, which is an important research problem in the field of quality training of mid-level specialists for the modern labor market and ensuring the competitiveness of graduates. The purpose of the study is to identify the characteristic features of developing cognitive-prognostic component of future teachers’ soft skills. Materials and Methods. The study follows the creative-prognostic and personal-narrative approaches. Through theoretical methods, the essence, structure, and content of soft skills for vocational teachers were identified and described: the method of conceptual, terminological and comparative analysis, content analysis, discursive reflection, system analysis, and modeling. In order to test the effectiveness of cognitive-prognostic component of soft skills development, a number of empirical methods were used, in particular: observation, questioning, testing, expert assessment and statistical methods for processing the data. Results. The article discusses theoretical and technological aspects of soft skills development that ensure training of competitive mid-level professional for the labor market. In order to build the structure of future vocational teachers’ professionalism, the authors identified its functional components. Attention is focused on the new methodology and procedure of their formation at university, providing a predictive vision and a creative approach, i.e. combining the ideas of creativity and flexible forecasting in the uncertain world. The research significance is presented by the data obtained during analytical work, which made it possible to identify a number of essential structural components of future teachers’ professionalism. The analysis of modern research trends highlights the cognitive-prognostic component of soft skills as a significant one for further training of competitive mid-level professionals for the labor market, corresponding to current challenges, the development of technologies using digital resources and artificial intelligence. Conclusions. It has been found that the formation of future vocational teachers’ soft skills based on the use of innovative forms, methods and means of forecasting and creative management will improve the efficiency of the educational process at university and ensure further professional development. In order to ensure efficient preparation of future vocational teachers, it is necessary to develop teaching procedures for implementing the cognitive-prognostic component of soft skills, including lean thinking and project and process management. In conclusion, the authors emphasize the significant role of the cognitive-prognostic component of preparing competitive vocational teachers able to cope with modern challenges in the labor market.

Strengthening data management skills amongst public health professionals during the war in Ukraine

Abstract Background The current war in Ukraine has led to disturbances in public health surveillance and epidemiological data flow, which impacts timely decision-making at regional and national levels. The five-year USAID project “Public Health System Recovery and Resilience Activity” (PHS R&R) aims to strengthen the Public Health system of Ukraine, including through the training of specialists in data management and disease surveillance. Objectives An innovative mixed-method, multi-module course was piloted in January 2023 to provide epidemiologists and other public health professionals with up-to-date knowledge and practical skills in disease surveillance and data management. The course was designed based on a needs assessment study carried out across the regional Centres for Disease Control (CDCs) in 2022. Modules were delivered both in person and online to reach a wider audience. Results 1,540 public health specialists attended the first module on Excel skills, online. A further 26 completed a second module, covering disease surveillance methods, data management, and data flow across regions, in person. Over 85% of participants in the second module reported that it was highly relevant to their day-to-day work, especially practical sessions on data analysis and reporting. The second module is currently under revision based on participants’ feedback before being scaled up. A more advanced module on data management is being developed and aimed to launch at the end of 2024. Conclusions The course was timely and relevant for Ukrainian public health specialists in need of enhanced surveillance and data management skills to detect and respond to public health threats. Its innovative format allowed it to train a large cohort of specialists across a variety of essential public health functions despite the full-scale war. This experience would be relevant for any country aiming to strengthen its preparedness for potential public health emergencies, especially in fragile settings. Key messages • The comprehensive training course on epidemiological surveillance and data management will equip Ukrainian public health specialists with data-driven decision-making skills in the war context. • The described training approach would be relevant for the countries which seek sustainable workforce development solutions to strengthen public health systems in fragile settings.

CORPORATE CULTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AS A GUARANTEE OF THE EFFICIENCY OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS

Corporate culture occupies a prominent place in forming the image of a higher education institution, increasing its competitiveness and gaining popularity among applicants, students, and other institutions. On the one hand, corporate culture acts as a regulator of the behavior of teaching staff through a system of norms, rules, and values, and on the other hand, it acts as a guarantor of successful professional training of future specialists. The purpose of the article is to distinguish the meaning and phenomenon of corporate culture and to determine its place in the system of professional training of students. The main methods of research are comparative analysis of scientific-educational and methodological sources, regulatory and legal framework; and theoretical and empirical methods of generalization. Today, corporate culture acts as a universal socio-cultural phenomenon, a system of values, beliefs, business principles, norms of behavior, and traditions, which is an important intangible resource that provides social connections, communicative and information communication, harmonizes relations, affects the efficiency and competitiveness of the institution. This is an effective tool for the strategic development of a higher education institution, with the help of which employees identify themselves with the university, influence with their work the formation of its image and authority, success, and competitiveness. Corporate culture includes value-normative, organizational, communicative, socio-psychological, game components, and image structure of the educational institution, manifested at the internal and external levels. As a result of our research, we concluded the functional content, structure, and meaning of the corporate culture of higher education institutions.

THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE COURSE "INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL WORK" (FROM THE TEACHING EXPERIENCE)

The topic relevance is determined by the requirements for the training of social work specialists for innovative activities in conditions of modern challenges. The article aims to characterize the structure and content of the course "Innovations in Social Work" for the 2nd (master's) level of higher education, specialty 231 "Social Work" (from teaching experience). Scientific methods applied: generalization, abstraction, explanation, systematization, system-structural, and descriptive analysis. The author notes the importance of a systematic approach to the development of the general concept of the training course. It is justified by taking into account not only theoretical and practical aspects of innovative activity, but also regulatory and legal ones. The structure of content modules tested in the teaching process is proposed: 1) theory of innovative activity; 2) regulatory and legal support of innovations; 3) innovation as a factor in overcoming social problems of our time. A brief overview of the lectures and recommendations for seminars are provided. Considering the absence of thematic sections on innovations in the field of social protection of the population in cross-sectoral normative documents, special attention is paid to the Plan for the implementation of the Ukraine Facility 2024-2027. The reforms for the next 4 years are presented in this document. It is emphasized that some of them are considered in the module No.3 ("Social work in multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams", "Implementation of the veteran's assistant institute", "Evolution of the deinstitutionalization reform in Ukraine") with logical transition to module No.3. The proposed structure and content of the course "Innovations in Social Work" can contribute to the formation of program learning outcomes defined by the educational standard., Special emphasis is placed on the challenges of teaching innovative activities: taking into account the requirements of the standard of higher education and the professional standard, the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge, the incompleteness of legal support for innovative activities in the field of social work. Both the theoretical and legal and educational issues of teaching the course "Innovations in social work" are among the directions of further scientific research.

A novel training session: mixed reality evisceration surgery webinar.

Evisceration surgery is an important part of an ophthalmologist's skillset but is an uncommon procedure. Therefore, it is important for training ophthalmologists to have adequate knowledge and confidence in this procedure to maximise learning opportunities. Mixed reality involves the intertwining of real and virtual environments and has been used successfully in surgical training. To improve participants' knowledge of the relevant anatomy, steps and confidence in performing evisceration surgery using an extended reality online webinar coupled with conventional teaching. The teaching session comprised of a short lecture introducing evisceration and explaining mixed reality technology including the Microsoft HoloLens headset. This was followed by a 3D demonstration of the orbit and globe, then the live evisceration procedure on a porcine cadaver, with the surgeon's point of view via the headset. There was expert live running commentary during the procedure with the use of virtual signposts on relevant anatomy. Participants were encouraged to be interactive and given the ability to share their annotations on-screen. Ten doctors ranging from Foundation year 1 to Ophthalmology specialist training year 3 attended the 90-min session and completed pre- and post- session questionnaires (5-point Likert scales). Results showed statistically significant improvements in the knowledge, steps and confidence in performing the evisceration surgery (paired two-sample T-tests, SPSS version 29). This study has demonstrated that utilisation of mixed reality with conventional teaching methods can provide a useful initial learning experience which may facilitate effective further learning of the evisceration surgery in a wet-lab or patient setting.

Gender-Specific and Cross-Gender Reasons for Choosing 'Surgeon' as a Career - A Scoping Review

The availability of highly qualified surgical staff in Germany has been a challenge for years. Despite various initiatives to increase the attractiveness of surgical training programs, there are still problems in attracting motivated and qualified doctors to surgery. In order to develop customized offers for recruiting junior staff, the decision-making factors must be known. To present the gender-specific and cross-gender reasons for choosing a surgical specialist training program. As part of a scoping review, studies were identified using PubMed and a subsequent reverse search to answer the research question. Data extracted from the studies were summarized narratively and categories were defined. The analysis of 12 studies revealed that men and women wanted to become a surgeon based on the characteristics of the surgical specialty, personal factors and factors related to the training position. Gender-specific differences were also identified. Specific measures are proposed to promote the next generation of surgeons.

Educational and professional task as a means of assessing the professional competencies of IT students based on the requirements of employers

One of the most important tasks of higher education under digitalization of all spheres of economy and society is training specialists in IT (including specialists in web development) who are in demand in the labor market. To address this task successfully, it is necessary to have close interaction between universities and employers at all stages of the implementation of basic professional educational programs from their creation to the assessment of the formation of professional competencies.The article is focused on the current problem of choosing and designing effective tools for assessing professional competencies of IT students within the framework of advanced training in web development. The article carries out an analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature in order to determine the optimal means of assessing professional competencies of students. The use of educational professional tasks as a means of modeling the professional activity of a graduate and evaluating the educational results of the university study process is substantiated. It is substantiated that employers gain a special role in the design and implementation of educational programs, including the formation of the repertory and content of educational professional tasks and so the necessity of employers’ representatives’ participation in the process of assessing the development level of professional competencies is explained.

Educational management in personnel training of hydrometeorological services: world experience

Introduction. The relevance of the presented study is determined by the fact that the acceleration of climate change on the planet has a significant impact on almost all spheres of economic and social life of mankind, which imposes new requirements both on the information provided by hydrometeorological services and on the personnel of managers and specialists providing it.Purpose setting. The purpose of the presented studies is to summarize the world experience in the development of promising requirements for the skills and competence of managers and specialists of national meteorological services in the interests of forming a system of requirements for staffing and training of managers and specialists of hydrometeorological services of the Roshydromet system.Methodology and methods of the study. The methodological base of the research consists of well-known scientific works devoted to the promising requirements for the skills and competencies of managers and specialists of the hydrometeorological service. Results. The novelty of the obtained results lies in the fact that, based on the generalization of world experience in the development of promising requirements for the skills and competence of managers and specialists of national hydrometeorological services, it was found that when forming personnel management strategies, on the one hand, requirements are put forward for a wide range of competencies of personnel who own both traditional technologies and innovative technologies for processing and interpreting information based on IT. On the other hand, hydrometeorological services impose increased demands on themselves, which is manifested in strategic aspirations to form a holistic motivation system for their employees, covering all levels of human needs, according to substantive theories of motivation – from economic competitiveness to opportunities for training, development and self-expression.Conclusion. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the possibility of using world experience in developing promising requirements for the skills and competence of managers and specialists of national meteorological services when forming strategies for personnel management of hydrometeorological structures of the Roshydromet system.

STATE POLICY ON THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS OF UKRAINE IN THE INTERNET ENVIRONMENT

The article deals with the problem of protecting Ukraine’s national interests in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The Internet is seen as a space for free expression of opinions, but often turns into a battlefield in the information war. The article analyses the processes of informatisation of society and the increase in the number of Internet users. The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the leading Internet providers and their political position is analysed. Today, Ukraine enjoys great support from leading campaigns in this area, but the aggressor country is heavily funding war propaganda. Attention is drawn to the results of statistics on cyberattacks on state institutions and the public by the Russian Federation. It is emphasised that today state institutions, business and society in Ukraine have united to counteract the negative information influence of Russia. The structure of Ukraine’s national interests, priorities and directions of their protection are defined. Attention is focused on the fact that the Russian Federation attracts teenagers to extremist and radical activities on the Internet. This additionally threatens the national interests of Ukraine. Prevention of extremism is based on raising the legal, political and general culture of citizens, and shaping a positive image of the state. Therefore, it is justified to take effective measures to develop a powerful ideological corpus, a national idea and to adhere to the state’s strategy for European integration. It is important to establish systematic training of specialists in the field of protecting national interests in the Internet space, enhancing the preventive role of the media and institutional support for analytical, educational, propaganda and information work. The author proposes to develop a powerful system of countering manipulations on the Internet, which will include technological developments, methodology, ideological component, legal and educational measures. The author substantiates the necessity of Ukraine’s integration into the global and regional European information space; integration into international information and telecommunication systems and organisations; modernisation and certain changes in the information policy; improvement of legislation on harmonisation of national legislation with international standards; introduction of modern information and communication technologies into public administration processes, etc.

Current status analysis of the prevalence and regional disparities of robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy in Japan using diagnosis procedure combination data

The introduction of the “da Vinci S HD Surgical System” marked a significant shift towards robotic surgeries in Japan. However, initial high costs and lack of efficacy data posed barriers to its widespread adoption. By 2023, more than 570 da Vinci units were operational in Japan, highlighting the growing acceptance of robotic surgery despite these challenges. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and regional disparities in the adoption of robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) across Japan using diagnosis procedure combination data. This retrospective observational study analyzed data from 2857 urban and 4184 regional hospitals across 47 prefectures in Japan. The study focused on the number of RALP procedures, da Vinci systems, and certified urological surgery proctors. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify significant factors influencing RALP adoption. Urban areas demonstrated a higher prevalence of RALP procedures and more da Vinci systems compared to regional areas, with urban hospitals performing an average of 937 RALP procedures compared to 195.5 in regional hospitals. The number of certified urological surgeons also showed significant urban-regional disparities, contributing to the overall imbalance. Our findings highlight substantial regional disparities in access to robot-assisted surgery in Japan, with urban areas benefiting from better access to advanced medical technologies and specialist training. Addressing these disparities will require targeted policies to improve the dissemination of robotic surgery systems and enhance training opportunities in regional cities.

A comparison of general surgery training programmes across 11 countries: improving understanding of the experience level of international medical graduates in the UK.

Within the past five years there has been a significant increase in the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) joining the United Kingdom's (UK) workforce. Having mentors and supervisors who understand the needs of IMGs and clinical and cultural differences in the workplace can benefit in the transition to working in a new country. Improving knowledge of and understanding differences between general surgical training programmes and grades across different countries could therefore aid in the support of IMGs within the UK. Data on general surgical training programmes of the top ten countries for the primary medical qualifications of IMGs in the UK were collected to provide comparison with the UK training programme. The following countries were included: UK, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Ireland, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Romania, Iraq and South Africa. Training programme lengths ranged from 3 to 10 years. Only some training programmes provide additional training and qualification in sub-specialisation in general surgery. Other differences included a requirement for internship/non specialist training prior to training, differences in lengths of time spent in other surgical specialties and a requirement for research. Understanding the training programmes of other countries may help UK surgeons to understand the prior experience of IMGs and enable them to provide better training and support.

COURSE «MANAGING CONFLICTS IN CRISIS CONDITIONS» IN THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING SYSTEM OF SPECIALTIES 053 «PSYCHOLOGY»

The article presents an analysis of the theoretical and methodological aspects of teaching the educational discipline «Managing conflicts in crisis conditions». The role of the academic discipline in the system of professional training of students who obtain a master's degree in the specialty 053 «Psychology is determined». The goal of the educational discipline is determined, which consists of acquiring competences in resolving conflicts, developing the ability to predict and control conflict situations in difficult life conditions, and promoting significant progress on the path of professional improvement. The dominant tasks of studying the discipline are highlighted: getting closer to the understanding of the professional necessity of in-depth study of the nature of the emergence and development of various conflicts; identifying the causes of conflicts; using different tactics, and conflict resolution technologies; mastering psychological techniques for getting out of conflict situations. It is noted that the educational material of the discipline «Managing conflicts in crisis conditions» is divided into two content modules, namely: 1. Basics of conflict theory; content module 2. Conflict management in crisis conditions. It is emphasized that the lectures on the discipline «Management of conflicts in crisis conditions» are conducted taking into account the problematic nature, dialogic communication, activation of the thinking and speaking activity of the master's students, namely: lecture-discussions with posing problematic questions, which help to direct the attention of the master's students to the key issues of the topic of the lecture session. A description of the tasks that master's students perform during practical classes is provided. An important place in the process of psychological training of future specialists in crisis psychology is given to the use of multimedia tools. It is proven that mastering the discipline «Management of conflicts in crisis conditions» by master's students is important in the professional formation of a specialist in crisis psychology, as it provides the necessary knowledge and skills to manage conflicts in difficult life situations and reduces the psychological suffering of people experiencing crises. We see the prospects for further study of the problem in the generalization of innovative approaches to improving the professional competence of future specialists in crisis psychology. Keywords: conflict, conflict management, specialist in crisis psychology, crisis, difficult living conditions, competencies, master's degree, independent work