MER: Medical Education Reforms
MER: Medical Education Reforms

"Medical Education Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic" (MER) was initiated with financial support of the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency and initially the project's efforts were fully focused on the reform of undergraduate medical education. Since 2013, measures have begun to reform postgraduate and continuing medical education.

Project duration: 2007-2024 (17 years)

Description and objectives of the project: As reflected in the program of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic "a healthy person is a prosperous country" for the protection of public health and the development of the healthcare system for 2019-2030, high-quality services to meet the medical needs of the population of Kyrgyzstan, in particular, are aimed at improving the skills of medical workers at the level of primary health care. Improving the quality of medical services provided by doctors and medical staff with the support of the Swiss Bureau for Development and Cooperation (PVO), increasing the level of professional competencies with an emphasis on the training of family doctors/GP in Kyrgyzstan. The first 2 phases of the project are fully aimed at reforming pre-university medical education, postgraduate medical education and continuing medical education

Previous stages of the project:
Stage 1 - 2007-2013 - reforms at the level of pre-graduate medical education aimed at their development, reorganization and implementation.
Stage 2-2013-2021 - years-are aimed at further development of the reform of medical education at the continuing level of pre- and postgraduate level, as well as at creating the basis for the reform of nursing education.

Funding organization: Department for Development and Cooperation and Technical Support of Clinics of the University of Geneva of Switzerland and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva NGO "Initiatives in Medical Education" in cooperation with a local implementing partner

Contractor-Grant Holder: NGO "Initiatives in medical education"

Project results:
The project has developed an approach that empowers local stakeholders by providing the tools and resources needed to implement changes and placing them at the center of the reform process. The key elements for all sectors of the previous stage were the development of the regulatory framework necessary for reforms, strengthening stakeholders and, in particular, increasing the role of professional medical associations. These lessons have led to the following key achievements at the current stage:

The project's 3 stages - from September 2021 to August 31, 2024 consists of 3 components:
1. Further strengthening the role of medical and nursing education, as well as professional medical associations as the "voice" of medical workers in Kyrgyzstan.
2. Professional medical associations also play a key role in the creation of an independent Competence Development and Evaluation Center, which is a secondary component. The purpose of the creation of this center will be the development of management mechanisms and methods of independent certification of medical workers, as well as the provision of continuing medical education.
3. The reform of nursing education initiated in previous years will be transformed into concrete actions and targeted support for medical colleges and clinical centers in order to implement a revised curriculum that will meet modern professional standards and practical content.

Work plan for 2022:

-organization of seminars, round tables and trainings for university teachers, managers, practitioners and nurses of primary health care

Completed work for 2022:

1. May 19, 2022 – Financial support for the conference dedicated to the World Day of the Family Doctor 2022, KSMU Conference Hall (SMPDMO Department)

 Organization of seminars and trainings:

1. 30.05.-02.06.22 - "Development of multiple choice test tasks" 29.06.-30.06.22 - "Fundamentals of strategic planning"
2. 26.09.-27.09.22 - "Successful development of the project application"
3. 16.11.-17.11.22 - "Methodology of professional standard development"

 Organization of round tables:

1. 27.04.22. - "The concept of development of professional medical associations in the Kyrgyz Republic"
2. 11.11.22 - "The concept of development of professional medical associations in the Kyrgyz Republic"

 TОТ:

1. On May 21, 2022 - in the framework of the World Family Doctor Day 2022, in cooperation with the Maurice Foundation of the project "Initiatives in Medical Education", a sattelite master class was held.
Coordinators: Turanova N.A., Sagitova A.R., Bukaraeva K.E.
Participants: teachers and assistants of the Department of Family Medicine of KSMU, KSMIiPK, KRSU

2. On March 24, 2022, within the framework of cooperation of the I.K.Akhunbayev KSMU with the project "Initiatives in Medical Education" and the Swiss Maurice Foundation (Geneva, Switzerland), in order to improve the knowledge and skills of residents, the qualifications of teachers of the Department of Family Medicine of postgraduate Education, as well as to improve the image of family medicine among residents, a online master class on the topic "Doctor-patient relations". (SMPDMO Department)
The organizers of the master class: Yves Bailer (Switzerland), Salima Sydykova (Kyrgyzstan) and Aidana Sagitova, an assistant at the SMPDMO Department.
The participants of the online master class were professors: Brimkulov Nurlan, Louis Lutan, Tierri Rocha, Ioanna Sommer, as well as residents of the SMPDMO department of the first and second years of study.

3. September 29, 2022 – financial support was provided to the interuniversity conference of family medicine residents, the Assembly Hall of KSMU (Department of SMPDMO), as well as partial support for the visit of the project director (Phase I-II) Professor Louis Lutan to Bishkek.

4. November 12, 2022 - A meeting was organized with the project director Bruno Lab (Phase III) at the Department of SMPDMO KSMU.

Work plan for 2023:

Further strengthening of Professional Medical Associations both in their role in medical and nursing education and as the “voices” of medical workers in Kyrgyzstan. Professional medical associations will also play a key role in the creation of an Independent Competence Development and Assessment Center, which will represent the second component. The purpose of the creation of this Center will be to develop management mechanisms and methods of independent certification of medical workers, as well as to provide continuous medical education.
The goal of this phase of the project will be to ensure that “Medical workers provide quality services, in particular at the level of primary health care to meet the health needs of the population of Kyrgyzstan.”
To achieve this goal, the project will focus on one result, namely: “Competent doctors and nurses improve the efficiency of the healthcare system through strong and recognized associations that play a key role in regulating professions.”
This project will improve a number of medical and socio-economic factors in Kyrgyzstan. Its goal contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely Target 3.c. “Substantially increasing health financing and recruitment, development, training and retention of health personnel in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States” will be one of the main directions of this project.
This approach to strengthening the system with the involvement of key stakeholders is the best asset to ensure the sustainability of the reform and the easy continuation of processes after the completion of project support. Since the beginning of the MER project, the transfer of knowledge and skills in the field of change management and strengthening of the services provided has been the main task. This phase of the project will continue to comply with these principles, and the project team will strive to ensure that professional associations effectively manage the independent evaluation system, and the new nursing education training program will be effectively implemented in the interests of the Kyrgyz healthcare system, which would be better equipped to meet the needs of the population in the field of healthcare.