History

The Department of Outpatient Therapy was founded on August 25, 2008 on the basis of the 6th and 4th city outpatient clinics of Grodno. The head of the department was a young, promising, ready to work on a doctoral dissertation and having sufficient experience in practical health care, Yakubova L.V., the teachers of the department were experienced employees transferred from three therapeutic departments with extensive teaching experience: Associate Professor, Karaulko I.V., Associate Professor, Kezhun E.N., Assistant, Kureisha A.K.

Before coming to the Grodno State Medical University, Yakubova L.V. worked as a cardiologist, headed the cardiology department at City Clinical Hospital No. 3 in Grodno, studied in graduate school at the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases with a full-time and part-time form. In 2007, she defended her dissetation on the topic: "Oxygen transport function of the blood and indicators of endothelial dysfunction in patients with angina pectoris under pathogenetic therapy" in the specialty 14.05.01 - cardiology. During her work at the department, she received the academic title of associate professor (2011), and then professor (2021). In 2020, she defended her doctoral dissertation on the topic "Arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease: the pathophysiological role of D-hypovitaminosis and polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene (clinical and experimental study)" in the specialty 14.01.05 - cardiology.

Karaulko I.V. previously worked at the Department of Faculty Therapy.

Kezhun E.N. previously worked at the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine.

Kureisha A.K. previously worked at the Department of Internal Medicine No. 1.

The department began its work with this composition.

Students begin to get acquainted with work in outpatient settings from the 4th year. Students, working at an appointment with a general practitioner, for the first time realize the tight deadlines for conducting a differential diagnosis, the volume of routine filling out of medical documentation, and the skills of preventive work. The curriculum "Outpatient Therapy" includes various sections of internal diseases: pulmonology, cardiology, rheumatology, nephrology, gastroenterology, as well as emergency care in outpatient settings. The department trains 4th, 5th and 6th year students of the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Foreign Students, and the Faculty of Medical Diagnostics. All students undergo outpatient practice, including students of the Faculty of Medical Psychology.

Since 2017, doctors have been trained at the department both in retraining courses for students of the Faculty of Advanced Training in the specialty "General Medical Practice" and in advanced training courses in various cycles. More than 800 doctors have already completed the training.

Over 15 years of work, the department staff has developed and approved curricula for outpatient therapy. Educational and methodological plans for practical classes, lectures, and a list of practical skills for subordinate therapists have been prepared. However, in addition to questions for classes, teachers try to convey to students the importance of outpatient therapy in the general health care system. After all, outpatient services provide medical care to up to 80% of patients.

A lot of time is devoted to issues of ethics and deontology. During a role-playing game, students experienced what it would be like to be blind or visually impaired.

The department actively operates the Student Scientific Society, and hosts intra-university Olympiads in the discipline. In December 2022, as part of career guidance initiatives, the department organized a competition for 5th-year students of the Faculty of Medicine, “Work of the General Practitioner Team through the Eyes of a Student.”

On May 11-12, 2023, for the first time in our country, the Republican Olympiad "Teamwork of a General Practitioner: from Prevention to Treatment" was held within the walls of GrSMU, in which 7 student teams from all medical universities of the country participated.

Scientific research at the department is devoted to the study of the features of vitamin D metabolism, prevention and pathogenetic aspects of the development, treatment of arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease, in addition, the effect of palm oil on the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Most of the research carried out at the department was funded by state scientific and technical programs ("Develop and implement a method for treating coronary heart disease and osteoporosis by influencing the general mechanisms of their development", "Develop and implement a new method of secondary prevention and treatment of cardiovascular lesions with vitamin D deficiency / insufficiency in individuals with arterial hypertension", "Identification of risk groups for D-vitamin deficiency"). The results of scientific research are announced at various conferences at both the national and international levels.

An exclusive project was a joint project with the RUE "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Food" (2017-2018) on a separate project of fundamental and applied scientific research, approved by the Council of Ministers "Study of the influence of palm oil on the health of the population of the Republic of Belarus and the establishment of acceptable medical and biological levels of palm oil consumption." This kind of clinical study was carried out for the first time in the CIS. In addition, with the RUE "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Food", it was possible to "develop new types of chocolate products enriched with protein, calcium and vitamin D, ensuring an increased balance of nutrition for preschool and school-age children (2016-2020).

The composition of the department expanded, and in 2009, Kezhun L.V. came to the department from practical health care. Having experience working in outpatient institutions and a residency in therapy, she actively joined the work of the department, eventually becoming the head of the department. In 2015, Kezhun L.V. was awarded the academic degree of candidate of medical sciences after defending her candidate dissertation on the topic "The influence of cholecalciferol on endothelial function indicators, daily blood pressure profile in women with arterial hypertension in the premenopausal and early postmenopausal periods" under the supervision of the head of the department Yakubova L.V.

In 2011, Morgol A.S., who had experience as a general practitioner, came to the department. He actively participated in the work of the department, in sports and mass events, and demonstrated a high level of English when conducting classes with foreign students. In 2018, Morgol A.S. was awarded the academic degree of candidate of medical sciences after defending her candidate dissertation on the topic "Provision of the body with vitamin D in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and development of methods for correcting its deficiency/insufficiency" in the specialty 14.01.05 - cardiology under the supervision of the head of the department Yakubova L.V.

At different times, the department was staffed by associate professor N.S. Slobodskaya, assistant L.M. Smirnova, assistant T.I. Dyurd, A.P. Sarycheva. Currently, the department is staffed by associate professor D.V. Pitsko, senior lecturer L.F. Misyuk, senior lecturer Yu.I. Belous, senior lecturer N.V. Bukvalnaya, senior lecturer L.N. Smirnova, assistant A.M. Molostova. At different times, the following specialists worked: Solovieva D.A., Kashko O.N., Parmanchuk N.S., Oleynichenko E.N. Currently, Orlovskaya N.I., specialist of the 1st category, and Sapunova M.N. are working.

All lectures of the department had experience in practical health care and have qualification categories. Currently, senior lecturer Belous Yu.I. and Bukvalnaya N.V. are candidates for an academic degree and are working on writing a dissertation.

It is impossible to imagine the work of the department without clinical work. The clinical work of the department employees is carried out at the department's bases. At present, classes are held not only in polyclinics 6 and 4, but also in city polyclinics 1, 3 and 7. Our teachers supervise day hospitals at polyclinics, consult patients, and give lectures to doctors. All this is highly appreciated by practicing doctors of polyclinics. The employees of the department have been repeatedly awarded with Certificates of Honor and letters of gratitude.

Head of the department Yakubova L.V. was awarded the badge of the Ministry of Health "Outstanding Healthcare Professional of the Republic of Belarus".

Based on the Collective Agreement and the order of the rector dated 09/05/2025, Lyudmila Vasilievna Kezhun was included on the Honor Board of the university employee.

Since 2009, the department has been organizing annual scientific and practical conferences, traditionally in May. The conferences have repeatedly been held with international participation. Reports are read on topics close to practical health care and always arouse interest among conference participants. The employees of the department, in turn, actively participate in scientific conferences in the Republic of Belarus and abroad.

The employees of the department actively speak out in the media, including recording videos on YouTube, publishing on Internet portals, newspapers, actively carrying out preventive work and educating the population. They actively participate in cultural and educational events.

The department staff demonstrate the principles of a healthy lifestyle by their example and win prizes in Spartakiads.

The department staff prefers active recreation, practicing team building: they mastered bowling, laser tag, played football, volleyball and badminton. The department staff is united by the ability to celebrate their professional successes and personal significant events in a well-coordinated and friendly team.