Medical education against the backdrop of war: the case of Karazin University

Abstract

The article examines the global experience of the impact of military conflicts on medical education, with particular attention to the experience of Karazin University School of Medicine. It concludes that the impact of war on medical education is extremely negative and has always been characterized by interruptions or deterioration of learning conditions, its reorientation to meet war needs, the worsening physical and psychological state of students, and a decrease in the effectiveness of their learning. These factors pose a threat not only to education but also to the nation as a whole, as the decline in the quality of medical education creates a shortage of personnel in the healthcare system, which is critically needed during war and in post-wartime. Nevertheless, the Karazin University School of Medicine has met the challenges of wartime with dignity and managed to organize the education of medical students in both online and in-person formats, as well as to establish open courses for developing primary medical care skills for the wounded and those affected by the consequences of the war.