Teaching award of the year is creation and development of the assistant doctors' system

Today, on 19 January, at the university's teaching conference, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk presented the teaching awards and the teaching quality award of 2022. One of the teaching award of the year is creation and development of the assistant doctors' system.

Team: Liisa Marie Kerner, Aana-Liisa Kaste, Renar Kihho, Marta Kohal, Taur Lillestik, Karmen Nigul, Martin Ojamaa, Anni-Britta Pajoma, Mariliis Pärn, Arne Vunk and Krislin Elis Varul.

An assistant doctor is a student who has completed the 4th year of the medical curriculum and has acquired the right to work in the healthcare system under the guidance and supervision of a doctor. Working as an assistant doctor allows medical students to practise medicine during their studies so that they can acquire, expand and consolidate knowledge and shape their careers. It broadens students' learning opportunities during their studies and is a natural step towards becoming a doctor.

A working group of the Estonian Medical Students' Association is developing the assistant doctors' system and thereby aiming to promote Estonian medicine. In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, the Estonian Hospitals Association and the Estonian Family Doctors Association, the project seeks to achieve a supportive system ensuring a safe and learning-friendly environment for students and better and more professional care for patients.

The process of setting up the system also addresses the key concerns of the Estonian health care system: creating opportunities to acquire practical skills in addition to theoretical studies, motivating the future generations of doctors to stay in their home country or return after gaining experience abroad, and training and mentoring new assistant doctors while working as doctors.

Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk is happy to see that all the winning projects are characterised by collaboration and sustainability. “The keywords are student initiative, involving them in the development of their studies and the acquisition of future skills. Thanks to these activities, many future students will enjoy more meaningful studies,” said Valk.

The recipients of the teaching award were selected from 17 candidates. Other commendable initiatives included novel teaching methodologies, innovative training courses for teachers, students and doctors, curriculum changes, etc. All members of the university could submit candidates. The Academic Affairs Committee selected the award recipients. In addition to the award winners, the Academic Affairs Committee also highlighted the creation of chemistry courses for basic and upper secondary school students, the conversion of a continuing education course on immunisation into a fully online course and the launch of a continuing education course on space for teachers. The teaching award comes with a cash prize of 5,000 euros.

A financial reward for the teaching award is 5000 euros.