In Russia, the Ministry of Education is in charge of all medical educational programs and exercises its authority through the State Committee on Higher Education (GOSKOMVUS). An agency of GOSKOMVUS, the Teaching and Methodology Association for Medical Education, is entrusted with the job of ensuring that programs taught in any Russian medical school meet the requirements set forth by the above committee and ministry.
GOSKOMVUS is the only agency which can develop and approve changes in educational programs for the medical and pharmacy schools in Russia. Any proposed additions, changes, revisions, or modifications in curriculum or requirements by this agency are sent for review and approval to the Committee on Higher Education, and then to the Ministry of Education. Once the ministry formally approves and signs off on the proposals, the Committee on Higher Education follows with its respective formal approval.
Now keep in mind that the Russian Ministry of Education has a number of requirements that must be met to receive a valid medical degree, and this has not changed. Several weeks ago I was sent information on what appears to be a "22-week" course of training for chiropractors being conducted at the Russian State Medical University. Its literature states: "government approval provided the RSMU with the exclusive right to conduct advanced standing medical education for chiropractic candidates, as demonstrated by a special document (number 13-36/07-97) which was sealed on June 4, 1993."
The educators of the Academic Methodical Agency reviewed document number 13-36/07-96 and confirmed that it was in fact issued. However, they were not aware of any such program and further explained that the document was issued subsequent to the peristroika period (around 1990-1992) when the systems were in a little "chaos," and before the present procedures were implemented to assure that all educational programs comply and adhered to Russian educational standards. The State Committee of Higher Education existed before and after the peristroika period, and has always been comprised of various departments and agencies. Two of these departments are the "Licensing and Attending" department; the other is the "Science Research" department. The above-numbered document was issued by the Science Research department, not the Licensing and Attending department. So, in fact, the program is not actually approved for licensing or the issuance of medical degrees, but for research matters only. These "facts" can be verified by anyone simply by checking through the State Committee on Higher Education in Moscow. Your due diligence will establish that the 22 week (wonder) program is not "approved" for issuance of medical doctor degrees recognized in Russia.
There are only two English language, four-year medical school programs in Russia which are "approved" by the Federal Ministry of Education. Because they are approved and satisfy all Russian standards for issuance of medical degrees, they are recognized in the US. One is at the I.P. Pavlov Medical Institute (State University) in St. Petersburg; the other is at the Sechenov Medical Academy in Moscow. Both schools have four-year English language curriculums for students with premedical BS degrees (or equivalent), and both utilize US medical school texts. The Sechenov Academy has been teaching English language medical programs for over 15 years.
The curriculum is not new. As stated above, the Russian Ministry of Education has a number of requirements that must be met to receive a medical degree. They have, however, modified the curriculum by including some additional courses that are required at many leading US medical schools. Also, Russian students typically enter their six-year program directly from high school. The first two years are basically humanities and pre-medical basic sciences. Those who have a pre-medical Bachelor's degree have fulfilled many of the requirements of the first two years.
In 1995, the Teaching and Methodology Association developed and proposed to the Committee on Higher Education a four-year medical curriculum, requesting official approval and permission to issue a Russian medical diploma (MD) in general medicine, based on the "state requirements for minimum contents and qualification of a graduate in profession 040 100- General Medicine approved by GOSKOMVUZ of Russia on Jan. 23, 1995." It requires prospective students to have earned a minimum of a BS degree in the pre-medical sciences from an accredited college or university, and course content must correspond to the minimum contents and qualifications required by Russian standards. "Strict compliance with Russian requirements for earning an MD degree are to be maintained."
I inquired to the Russian Federation State Committee on Higher Education (GOSKOMVUS) regarding the medical schools. The reply, dated 12-25-95 is below:
Russian Federation State Committee ]
on Higher Education
(GOSKOMVUS of Russia)
113833 Moscow, M-230, GSP ul. Lusinovskaya, 51
Telephone: 237-97-63, Teletape: 112926Diplom
25.12.95 # 16-35-652/18
To the Chairman of Teaching and
Methodology Association on Medical
Education
M.A. Paltsev
Answering your letter of 15.12.95, the Certification, Accreditation Department informs you of the following.
So that graduates from American colleges and universities could be accepted and enrolled in Russian Schools, documents proving their previous education should be recognized in Russian Federation. The main condition for such documents to be recognized is that colleges and universities (supra) were accredited in the USA. After American documents of education are recognized, which is to be done by GOSKOMVUS of Russia and confirmed by an appropriate written instrument, graduates from US colleges and universities may be enrolled in a Russian School, getting credits for the disciplines successfully learned earlier. Conditions of enrollment, including admission tests, are to be determined by the School according to the active law.
To those students who successfully fulfill the curriculum described in the letter supra, complete the program of training which maintains the Russian educational standard and successfully pass the final state attestation (exams), a Russian standard diploma on higher medical education may be issued.
Head of the Certification, Accreditation
Department
V.A. Saveljev
As stated above, only two schools have been approved for this curriculum. Students interested in attending the Pavlov school must reside in St. Petersburg. The Sechenov Academy offers both a regular schedule and an alternative schedule for the basic sciences only. The curriculum and hours in class, on campus, are identical, only the class attendance schedule is different. Students with only BS degrees are not eligible for the alternative schedule. This is reserved for PHDs and others who have earned higher degrees in the biological sciences. The first two years at both schools are devoted to the basic sciences. After this, students are eligible to do the third and forth years in clinic clerkship full time in US hospitals, depending on availability.
I am preparing some informative commentary concerning potential major problems for those who are looking "off shore" for a medical diploma. With the re-authorization of the Higher Education Act and a recent US Government Accounting Office report to Congress, a committee was formed to further restrict students from returning to the US and obtaining a license to practice.
Alan Butkowsky, DC
Wethersfield, Connecticut
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