Inter-cultural education as a part of professional preparation for future doctors in higher medicaleducation institutions

Abstract

The article analyzes the issues of intercultural education of future physicians, defines its role in qualitative vocational training. It is noted that intercultural education of modern medical workers increases their professional ability to perceive the new experience of domestic and foreign colleagues, to cooperate and provide patients with highly-qualified assistance.

It is specified the essence of the concept of «intercultural education of future doctors» as a process of disclosing their professional and personal potential through different cultures, assimilating the experience of cooperation and partnership in the medical sphere by domestic and foreign students, forming the ability to exchange best practices in diagnosing and treating patients, uniting and creating innovative world technologies for overcoming human morbidity. It is revealed the significance of intercultural communication, intercultural tolerance, and intercultural identity in increasing the quality of the training of future physicians.

It is analyzed the results of the survey of teachers with the aim of identifying the practical significance of intercultural education of students, the questioning of future doctors – the determination of the state of comfort in the intercultural environment. In the teachers’opinion, intercultural education is an integral part of vocational training, since both domestic and foreign students share the same goal - to become a qualified doctor, to learn how to share experiences and use new advances in the medical sector. Students are not highly prepared for intercultural communication, communication, and tolerance in the educational process.

It is noted that in the process of professional training future doctors teach the Ukrainian language of professional orientation, which has a powerful potential for intercultural education of the personality. Many texts contain stories about means of transport and methods of transportation specifically in the city of Kharkov, about modern shopping centers and places of rest. The most effective topics were: Travel, Hobbies, Independence Day, Religious holidays in Ukraine, Weather in Ukraine, and My University. Note that when considering the topic «Hobbies», students happily talked about their hobbies, illustrated their stories with photos.

It is proposed the development and conduction of a special course on the topic «Theory and methodology of intercultural education of future physicians» for teachers and students, interns and graduate students.