OSMU Holds Annual e-Conference on International Exchange Programs

On September 23, 2026, OSMU International Affairs Department held its annual e-Conference «International Exchange Programs».

Opening the Conference, Svetlana A. PISKLAKOVA, Head of the OSMU Department of International Affairs, spoke about the main requirements for participants of international academic exchange programs and the opportunities available to students planning to undertake internships abroad. Ekaterina D. SVYATOGOROVA, Elena V. SMIRNOVA, and Anastasia O. LEONTIEVA, staff of the OSMU Department of International Affairs, then gave a detailed overview of exchange programs implemented within the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA).

IFMSA programs offer medical students the opportunity to choose between clinical and research exchange tracks. During clinical internships, participants learn about the organization of healthcare abroad, improve their practical skills, and develop communication skills with patients. Research exchanges allow students to become involved in scientific work, participate in data collection and processing, and gain experience from international colleagues.

The floor was then given to OSMU students and residents who had taken part in international exchange programs this season. They shared their impressions of IFMSA internships and spoke about educational events organized by the Association of Sino-Russian Medical Universities.

Daria IGNATCHIK, a 1st-year resident at the OSMU Department of Ophthalmology, shared her experience of an internship in Tunisia. According to Daria, one of the factors that influenced her choice of program was the positive feedback about the rich social program offered by the host party. Her expectations were fully met: during the internship, she had the opportunity to visit the Sahara Desert and take part in local «Olympic Games» organized by students. The clinical part of the internship also left a strong impression. Daria particularly noted the hospitality of the medical staff: employees gave tours of the departments and explained in detail how medical care was organized. In particular, she had the opportunity to become familiar with the work of ophthalmology and infectious diseases departments.

Anastasia SHEVCHENKO, a 4 th -year student of the OSMU Faculty of General Medicine, spoke about her internship at an ophthalmology department in Vitória, Brazil. In her presentation, Anastasia paid special attention to preparation for an internship abroad. She emphasized the importance of learning professional vocabulary in advance and shared practical advice on language preparation. As a 3 rd -year student at the time of the trip, Anastasia had not yet had the opportunity to study ophthalmology patients in detail, so the internship became her first serious introduction to this specialty. During the practice, she mastered biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, fundoscopy, and optometry.

Nikita OVCHARIKOV, a 5 th -year student of the Faculty of General Medicine, spoke about his visit to Harbin Medical University in China. The OSMU delegation included five students and two academic staff members. As part of the educational program, the participants visited traumatology and surgery departments and attended lectures by leading specialists, including lectures on heart transplantation. The academic program was complemented by a cultural one: after lectures and practical classes, the guests explored the sights of Harbin, visited the city zoo, and learned more about Chinese culture.

Asel NURKUSHEVA, a 5 th -year student of the Faculty of General Medicine, took part in the International Summer School «Big Data in Medical Statistics», held in Shenzhen, China. The internship provided a unique opportunity to learn how modern data analysis methods are applied in medicine and scientific research. The school program was intensive: participants attended lectures, completed practical assignments, and learned Python programming, including working with sequencing data. The course covered a wide range of topics, including pulmonology, HIV infection, oncology, vaccine hesitancy, and the integration of artificial intelligence into medicine. In the final days of the school, participants visited a laboratory where researchers presented their developments and spoke not only about the results of their work, but also about the challenges they face in everyday scientific practice.

Asel was also impressed by the large-scale architecture of the university campus, a concert of national music, and lectures dedicated to the history of the university. Since the campus was located far from the city center, participants spent much of their time on university grounds, becoming immersed in its educational and cultural environment.

The Conference concluded with a discussion of the presented reports. Participants exchanged impressions, and the speakers answered questions from the audience. The experience of OSMU students and residents once again demonstrated that international educational programs help participants not only expand their professional knowledge and practical skills, but also become familiar with medicine, research, and university culture in other countries.

OSMU International Affairs Department