At the beginning of the 21st century, international experience is an important building block in specialization within education and training. The level of medical practice and the training of medical professionals is now an important indicator in the development of health care and social structures in the Municipalities.

Thomasius-Stiftung’s IHEP program for international education and science promotes the development of specialist knowledge and expertise in medical specialties and supports cross-border cooperation and the exchange of medical professionals.

In March 2019, four specialists from the Ukraine interned as part of our IHEP program for two weeks in orthopedics and trauma surgery at the Marienkrankenhaus in Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth under the chief physician PD Dr. med. Fog. In it, they gained important insights into arthroscopic surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, as an essential part of today’s surgical therapy spectrum in orthopedics. In addition, they were made familiar with the care processes within the hospital as well as with the structure and framework of the German health system.

The program

• Internship of certified physicians (with a maximum duration of 3 months) at a German or Ukrainian clinic or specialist practice.
• The program focuses on the following areas: ear, nose and throat medicine, paediatrics, anaesthesiology and radiology and others.
• Participation of the specialists in a 2-month seminar on medicine and medical practice management.
• Seminar on the subject of “Intercultural Communication”.

The aim of the program

The participants get an insight into medical practice in Germany and Ukraine as a whole and into the work of individual departments such as anesthesiology, ear, nose and throat medicine, pediatrics and radiology etc. in particular. The exchange contributes to the establishment and strengthening of the networks and relationships between the German and foreign educational and health systems.

Participation

• General practitioners with or without specialist training.
• Current employment of applicants in clinics, medical practices, or other health facilities.
• Practical experience of at least three years.
• As well as good knowledge of German or English

Medical areas

• Anesthesiology
• Surgery
• Ear, nose and throat medicine
• Medical management
• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Radiology / radiation medicine
• Urology and others

14 young doctors from Germany and Ukraine and their supervisors will take part in an 8-day meeting in Düsseldorf in 2019.

The meeting will focus on the issue of inadequate medical care in rural areas, which is a problem in both countries and will have dramatic consequences in the future. They will work out methods and strategies to improve medical care in rural areas and during the meeting will gain an insight into the primary care system of the partner country.

The participants discuss socio-political perspectives and develop strategies for civil society involvement in order to improve the medical care of the rural population. Ideas for neighbourhood projects are developed and lobbying and networking is strengthened.

The results of the project will be published in a public panel discussion and discussed with experts.

The program

The first area offers an insight into the structure and organization of the other primary care system. The everyday experience with the German and Ukrainian primary care cantered by GPs is reported as an example.

In the second subject area, the participants develop and discuss concrete strategies and methods for improving medical care for the rural population at practical level. The focus of the work includes the increased delegation of medical services to non-medical staff, the opportunities for electronic networking of general practices, specialist practices and clinics, the improvement of internal practice processes.

Finally, from a socio-political perspective, strategies must be developed to (a) promote civil society engagement for better care within the local population. Local community projects are at the centre of the discussion.

In addition, the young doctors (b) develop strategies and forms of action with which they can jointly influence local and supra-regional political structures in order to stimulate the promotion of local medical care for the rural population.

Objectives of the programme

The aim of the programme is to contribute to the expansion of medical care in rural areas through the transfer of ideas for international networking between young doctors from Germany and Ukraine.

Participants

• Young general practitioners with or without specialist training from Germany and Ukraine between 26 and 35 years of age
• 6 participants from Germany
• 6 participants from Ukraine