The Republican Medical Labour Project "Medicus" has been implemented at the Novopolotsk Central City Hospital for the third year. This summer, its participants included students from medical universities, students from medical colleges of Belarus, as well as students from the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after B. Yeltsin.
59 young men and women, forming 9 linear student teams, arrived in the oil city to become part of the friendly healthcare team of the region for almost two months. Future medical professionals worked at the Novopolotsk Central City Hospital and Polotsk Central District Hospital as nurses, medical assistants, and orderlies. Their primary goal was to gain invaluable experience, consolidate practical skills, and learn about work organisation.
– The staff of our institutions, where the student teams joined, are very pleased that such responsible and dedicated young people are entering the medical field. All of them, without exception, worked with dedication and clearly fulfilled all their assigned duties. Although it was sometimes challenging, they coped with everything, – noted Igor Muzhichenko, Deputy Chief Physician of the Novopolotsk Central City Hospital.
– For us, this was a completely new direction in the student team movement. We took our first steps with excitement. If in 2023, just over 30 young people came to Novopolotsk, this year there are 60. It is great that our Belarusian student teams are joined by young people from other countries. I am confident that interest in this direction will continue to grow, and its geography will expand, – emphasised Nadezhda Shakhnovskaya, Commander of the Republican Headquarters of Student Teams.
The idea for the "Medicus" project was conceived by representatives of the BRSM in 2023. Future medical professionals, inspired by the example of young people participating in the All-Belarusian Youth Construction Project in Ostrovets, the "Atlant" and "Tolochin" projects, and at MAZ and MTZ, proposed organising their own – a medical one. The initiative was supported by the Ministries of Health and Education, and the authorities of Novopolotsk and Polotsk districts.
Opinions
Daria Melnichenko, Commander of the Republican Medical Labour Project "Medicus-2025":
– I am a graduate of the Gomel State Medical College. This year I received a diploma in the specialty "paramedic-midwife, physician assistant" and decided to spend the summer right here. I worked as a nurse in the procedure room of the children's polyclinic. This is invaluable experience, as finding common ground with children is worth a lot. The project taught me a lot and even toughened me up, so I will start my duties at my first workplace without fear or anxiety.
Violetta Tashmetova, commissioner of the student medical squad "Lazurite" (Kyrgyz Republic):
– I am a student at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after B. Yeltsin. I worked as a procedural nurse in the general therapy department. I performed many different injections, catheter insertions, and blood transfusions. This is a unique experience. We also had a great time in our free time. We participated in competitions, off-site events, and went on excursions.
It's amazing here: new culture, flavour, food, and the people are very friendly.
Artem Mandik, commander of the medical squad "Synapse" named after Hero of the Soviet Union L. Kravets (Grodno Medical University):
– I am a fourth-year student at the Faculty of General Medicine. Here we gained everything that was lacking in our student squad life in previous years: healthy competition with peers and new acquaintances. During the project, I worked as a ward orderly in the cardiology department. Of course, it wasn't always easy, I had to adapt, but it was worth it.