Recommended changes to the standards of medical education

What do residents expect?

1. Clinical classes in groups of no more than 6 students in all years of study.
2. Setting an upper limit of 10% of clinical classes in simulated conditions.
3. Learning anatomy on human body slides, with simulated classes limited to a maximum of 10% of hours.
4. Require clinical teaching medical facilities to perform an adequate number and variety of medical services.

According to the OZZL Residents' Agreement, the current standards are too general, allowing universities to use half-measures. Residents believe that their demands are the absolute minimum that should be expected of universities training future doctors.

Opinion and recommendations of the OZZL Residents' Agreement

On May 23, 2024, a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Subcommittee on Science and Higher Education was held, at which it was declared that work would begin on revising the standards for medical education. The current standards do not provide for numerous half-measures that reduce the quality of education. Residents present their proposals for change with arguments.

Size of clinical groups The current standards provide for a maximum limit of students in a clinical group only in the sixth year: classes are held in groups of no more than 5 students, and in exceptional cases up to 8 students. Residents are proposing that this limit should apply to all years where classes are held at the patient's bedside, with a maximum of 6 students. This demand was supported by 62 organizations, including the Conference of Rectors of Academic Medical Universities and the Council of Patient Organizations under the Minister of Health.

Clinical simulation classes Currently, the maximum percentage of practical classes in simulated form is specified only in the sixth year (10% of class hours). On years up to and including the fifth year, only a minimum percentage of classes is specified (5% of hours). Residents propose that the maximum percentage of simulated classes be set at 10% for all years, in order to prevent universities without adequate clinical infrastructure from relying too heavily on the simulation form.

Clarify the form of morphology classes Residents advocate that classes be held in an anatomical dissecting room, using donated (or purchased) human body slides as the basis for teaching, with simulated classes accounting for no more than 10% of hours. This is to prevent the degradation of the quality of education based on plastic models and other substitutes.

Clarify the form of clinical classes Bedside classes should take place in facilities that provide an adequate number and variety of health services to enable students to achieve the learning outcomes of clinical science. Residents call for this provision to be added to class groups E and F to prevent teaching in facilities with too few and varied services.

Source: OZZL Residents' Agreement