Psychiatria pre prax 1/2014

Innovation and standardization of teaching the Psychiatry in English language in foreign medical students at the Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava

Pregraduate study program for students of medicine and dentistry has been provided at the Medical School, Comenius University in Bratislava in English since 1993. The number of foreign students is rising up and the quality requirements are getting higher. The present paper reviews the innovations and standardization of teaching subject Psychiatry in English for foreign students, realized by Department of Psychiatry and Department of Child Psychiatry at FMCU with funding support of the grant KEGA 099UK-4/2012 in 2012 and 2013. The outcomes of the project systematically cover all levels and components of teaching the subject at FMCU in Bratislava: ranging from innovated syllabi of the subject, through uniform educational resources for lectures and practical exercises, clinical case studies of different types (from text to video) and graphical demonstrations of patient’s creations, ending with supporting materials such as dictionaries or digital library of psychiatric literature for teachers. The project’s outcomes set new standards for teaching the subject of Psychiatry in (foreign) medical students in English. Teachers – members of the research team – have also successfully applied the package of educational resources in teaching for Slovak students, too. The intention of this paper is to open the project information and outcomes for other professionals, especially teachers from other medical schools where lessons in foreign language take place.

Keywords: psychiatry, foreign medical students, innovation and standardization of teaching.