German professors participate in assessment of state examinations

Senior year medical students at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) just completed state examinations. This year, for the first time the State Examination Commission also consisted of German professors representing leading German clinics.  

German professor of endocrine surgery Dr.med Peter E. Goretzki (pictured) from the globally renowned and prestigious university hospital Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin was appointed deputy chair of the State Examination Commission. Director of the Urology Clinic at the academic teaching hospital Lukaskrankenhaus (Neuss), Professor Thomas Otto participated as an observer.

The head of the RSU State Examination Commission was chairperson of the board of the Healthcare Employers’ Association of Latvia and chair of Veselības centrs 4 Māris Rēvalds and the second deputy chair of the commission was director of the Department of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Professor Aivars Lejnieks.

RSU Rector Professor Aigars Pētersons indicates that the strategic objective of RSU is to offer top-quality study programmes through the involvement of an increasing number of international visiting lecturers and to ensure relevance of the knowledge and skills acquired at RSU with the requirements of the labour market. “The involvement of professors from leading German clinics in state examinations is the next step in our policy of quality by aligning tests of our knowledge with the highest European level. The presence of renowned foreign professors at exams, in the implementation of our study programmes and research, is our future path of development, both in healthcare and social sciences,” the RSU rector is positive about the future.

Sharing his impressions of the state examination, Professor Peter E. Goretzki emphasised that the choice of a written examination instead of a multiple-choice test gives best results, “Written answers provide a better indication of the understanding that the prospective medical professional has of the disease and the treatment they would choose.” The German professor recognises that from this perspective, RSU takes a well-developed systemic approach towards the treatment of diseases. “Because in the daily work at a clinic, the doctor must be able to establish a systemic approach towards the patient based on specific symptoms and not just give a general answer about the disease”, Professor Goretzki emphasises.

“RSU has a well-developed e-learning system,” he adds, recognising the role of simulation technologies in the study process and knowledge testing at RSU, which are also a vital element for ensuring patient safety.

Overall, Professor Goretzki concludes that RSU students are competent, self-confident and ambitious. His observations are proof that RSU academics are leaders in their field who engage in the professional transfer of their experience and knowledge to prospective medical practitioners.

“I have had the opportunity to track RSU growth over the decades. It has indeed been rapid and RSU has built up a very good reputation in Germany,” the professor emphasises, noting that, of course, every university attempts to offer the most qualitative study content possible and achieve the best results in research. “RSU is a success story and it must continue on its path. This will undeniably make RSU the best university in the Baltic region.” 

Thanks to Professor Goretzki who previously worked at Neuss hospital, last year RSU launched a pilot project which made it possible for RSU students to acquire separate study courses abroad at Lukas Hospital in Neuss. The first 15 students headed to Neuss for the 2017 spring semester, passed exams and gained credit points in four academic subjects: oncology, pulmonology, surgery and haematology. The same type of cooperation is also planned for this year.

Cooperation with Professor Goretzki was launched several decades ago when RSU academic staff started up internships in Germany, among them the former RSU rector, surgeon and professor Jānis Gardovskis who has made a significant contribution in the strengthening of cooperation between RSU and leading German clinics.

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