INTRODUCTION

The Crimean State Medical University is of the oldest and leading medical higher institutions of Ukraine and the former USSR; it was founded in 1931. The University is situated in Simferopol, the geographical and administrative center of the Crimean peninsula. For 70 years it was changed in to one of the leading medical Universities in Ukraine. In 1996 it got the status of Medical University. Now it is one of the leading state assisted institutions in Ukraine. It is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the Health Ministry of Ukraine and Ministry of Education. This accreditation requires periodic review in accord with the Health Ministry's policies and international standards.

The University has become the major hub of training medical specialists for Ukraine and foreign countries. Over 25 thousand medical doctors of various specialities have been trained, including about 2.5 thousand for 60 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. 1600 thesis's for the degrees of Doctors and Candidates of medical sciences in different fields of medicine of various specialties were defended during this period.

The total area owned by the University is 64826 sq. m, within it the area of study and laboratory premises is 45851 sq. m. The teaching area per one student is 13 sq. m. The Municipal healthcare department administrates other clinical bases used by the University.

The Crimea State Medical University is a self-government (autonomous) state higher educational institution of the IV (the top most level) accreditation level (conferred by the State Accreditation Committee of Ukraine. The University trains specialists along the following education/qualification levels: Junior specialist, Specialist, Master (foreign citizens included), for the following specialties: Medical, Dental and Pediatrics.

The Medical faculty provides a 6-years curriculum for becoming a physician to gain Doctor of Medicine degree. The Dentistry faculty is a 5-years learning curriculum, leading to the degree of Doctor of Dentistry. The duration of training at the pediatrics specialty is 6-years.

University has its preparatory courses (Russian language course) and medical collage where nurses and dentists are taught. The duration of the preparatory course is one year.

The University comprises at 61 departments of 4 schools, a medical school, medical/biological lyceum, laboratories, post graduation department, research/science and banking divisions. Clinical departments of the University are located on the basis of many special city and republic hospitals, which allows future doctors to get practical skills and develop clinical thinking during student days. At present the total number of staff members are 600: among them are 98 Doctors of medicine, 80 professors, 140 assistant professors and 291 candidates of medicine.

Doctors, post-graduates and dental mechanics are taught in English and Russian language according to the programs and curricula approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. We take into consideration an international experience and peculiarities of public health services of the states students come from.

From its founding, the University has dedicated itself to the encouragement and active development of international understanding. Its study program has a distinct international focus, where you will find a great deal about

• current research projects
• international cooperation on projects
• expertise
• large research equipment and systems

The University activities cover a wide range of subjects, all aimed at shaping a global University policy. Thus, educational policy, quality assurance, University management, legislation and international contacts all fall within the scope of the University's competence.

CSMU constantly keeps in touch with its graduates: Many of them have become highly qualified doctors, known scientists, health service managers and political figures in their mother countries.

The University activities cover a wide range of subjects, all aimed at shaping a global University policy. Thus, educational policy, quality assurance, University management, legislation and international contacts all fall within the scope of the University's competence. CSMU diploma is recognised in many countries.

The CSMU has been training teachers and researchers for many years. There are three specialized councils to defend theses here. Relations with medical institutions of Ukraine and foreign countries in the following directions:

• Joint research
• Publishing activities
• Specialist exchange
• International licensing of diplomas
• Participation in international congresses, meetings conferences and workshops.

The CSMU scientists' achievements in different fields of medicine are well known and recognized in many countries of the world.

Our curriculum is not only merely a collection of courses, but also a series of integrated educational experiences that facilitate growth toward a specified goal. i.e

• to provide students with information essential to all Practicing physicians. -to provide students with knowledge and experiences necessary to advance both scientifically and humanistic ally in the care and treatment of sick persons.
• to expose students to medicine as practiced throughout the world and to promote them with experiences necessary for the practice of medicine in developing countries.

In the University, student counts, is taken seriously and where faculty members know students by name. The close attention paid to each individual student is indeed the hallmark of the University.

So, we welcome you to our medical University, which will be running its courses, fully in the medium of English. The English medical syllabus covers the Ukrainian Medical Syllabus and as well as enables student towards giving the American Examination, United State Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The teaching staffs will prepare the students toward all such examinations. All the students will be given assistance in the English Language for sitting the Teaching as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

CSMU professors and assistant professors have been contributing much to the development of medicine and health service. The school of Biochemistry, Morphology, Pharmacology, Pediatrics, Pathology, Medicine and Surgery were formed at the University.

The researchers of the CSMU scientists are being carried out within five complex programs on 21 themes. New methods of AIDS and grippe diagnosis and treatment, new monoclonal antibody preparations, which are of great biotechnological importance, methods of extremity lengthening by implanted devices, advanced methods of acute and chronic pancreatic treatment, shock treatment and others are being elaborated at the University.

MAIN FIELDS OF ACTIVITIES

• Training of highly qualified specialists for health protection as provisioned by the state order and treaties
  
  
• Training of specialists of various education/qualification levels
  
  
• Post-graduation training of students for their career-guidance at the medical/biological lyceum, preliminary courses and preliminary department, within a multi-stage education system
  
  
• Organizing and holding of research works aimed at solving health protection problems for the population
  
  
• Working at fundamental problems of medical science
  
  
• Training of specialists for scientific and pedagogical activities
  
  
• Post-graduation training of medical doctors at the internal post-graduation department and clinical chairs of University
  
  
• Refreshing and qualification improvement for specialists engaged in practical health servicing
  
  
• Furthering of international links to the end of improving the teaching process, research works and upbringing activities

Teaching methodical, publishing, finance/managing and production/commerce activities.