The staff issue was raised in the course of the meeting on health sector development with the PMR President

The President discussed with the leadership of the PMR Government and the Ministry of Health, as well as representatives of Pridnestrovian State University, issues of improving the primary medical education system, raising the qualifications of doctors and providing personnel for the health sector.

Speaking about the functioning of the system of advanced training of medical workers, the PMR Minister of Health of Alexei Tsurcan, said that the center of continuing education has been working on the basis of the Faculty of Medicine of PSU since September 1, 2018. Doctors undergo 36-hour courses in several areas, including obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medical care, and surgery. To date, about 400 doctors have raised their qualifications (a total of 1900 in the republic). The head of the relevant ministry noted that foreign lecturers are involved in retraining of Pridnestrovian doctors. The main direction of cooperation is the Russian Federation. Alexei Tsurcan stated that not in all cases advanced training is possible within the republic. Partially, the issue is solved by quotas provided by Pridnestrovian doctors by Russian universities (about 30 of them are allocated annually), and partly by means of a distance education system.

The PMR President reminded that several years ago Pridnestrovian doctors had no opportunity to undergo retraining courses inside the republic. “The doctor at his own expense was forced to travel for training outside Pridnestrovie. Thus, he assumed the obligation of the state”, stated Vadim Krasnoselsky. At the same time, the President emphasized, the resources of the Pridnestrovian State University and the health care system made it possible to carry out professional retraining of junior and middle medical personnel, as well as general practitioners on their own. The President noted the effectiveness, including from a financial point of view, of the mechanism for attracting teachers from foreign universities to the process of training Pridnestrovian specialists.

Vadim Krasnoselsky emphasized that in cases when it comes to the impossibility of raising the professional level of a specialist of a particular profile on the territory of the republic, the state will continue to incur tuition fees outside Pridnestrovie.

Returning to the subject of primary medical education, they said that adjustments are also needed here. Today, 720 people study at the Faculty of Medicine of PSU, 60% - at the expense of the state. At the same time, for one reason or another, far from everyone gets a diploma of a doctor, which is also one of the reasons for the shortage of personnel in the field of health care. The President announced several options for resolving the situation. The first is the formation by the Ministry of Health of a clear state order for the most demanded specialists. “You know the true needs of the industry, so you should not play the role of observers”, Vadim Krasnoselsky emphasized. A guarantee that the graduates of the medical faculty, who studied at the expense of budget funds, go to work at the place of distribution, will be a tripartite agreement. “The applicant will have the right to choose, and he will know about its consequences from the very beginning. The graduate’s responsibility will be to work out a certain number of years at the place of distribution, the state’s duty is to provide the young doctor with a workplace. This is a normal business relationship between the applicant, the school and the employer represented by the state”, said the President. He added that work in this direction should start with the new school year.

Vadim Krasnoselsky said that students of the medical faculty who for one reason or another interrupted their studies after 3 or 4 courses, but who wish to work in health care, should be able to get a diploma of special education. According to the President, medical institutions of the republic are in dire need of middle-level personnel. In addition, many students want to officially work while they are still studying, Vadim Krasnoselsky added, having instructed to launch the corresponding mechanism from September 1.