Implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in medical education of Kazakhstan

The EC Tempus ePBLnet project funded an extraordinary collaboration in three post-soviet countries, transforming traditional didactic curricula into student-centred PBL. This study reviews the challenges faced by trainee tutors during this transition, while surrounded by institutions in more than 15 countries running traditional curricula. Within the Tempus program, by the method of problem-based learning, 9 teachers of the Astana Medical University (AMU) have gone a cycle of seminars and trainings. Trainings were conducted by the supervisor of e-Learning of St. George’s University (London) Terry Poulton and consultant on PBL of the same university Ella Iskrenko. At the present time there has been conducted an analysis of the PBL existing cases of educational program of Saint George University and accomplishing their integration into the educational program AMU for 1, 2 and 3 years of education. Classes with students on the PBL program are conducted in the special rooms equipped with all necessary technical means. Since February 2014 by this method there have been taught 32 students. Both students and tutors were pleasantly surprised with the extensive information volume about structure and functioning of an organism, diagnostic methods and treatment, patient’s rights which can be derived while studying a simple clinical case. The implementation of PBL in educational process of AMU, providing tutors and students with necessary conditions for the development of their creative potential. Training in small groups and personal oriented environment contribute to the improvement of medical personnel training quality, competences perfection of undergraduates, increase of competitiveness of the Kazakhstan experts in the world market of medical services.