Experience of the army internship of military medical academy cadets on stomatology

BACKGROUND: An organized acquisition of practical skills at the military level, in the positions of dentists of a medical company (military medical organization), by cadets studying stomatology is relevant.

AIM: The purpose is to highlight the tasks solved during the military training of cadets, the methodology of their implementation and the results achieved.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cadets in their fifth year of the fourth pharmacy of the Faculty of Training Doctors for the Navy who were studying stomatology started their clinical practice (military internship). The departments of organization and tactics of the medical service, general and military epidemiology, general and military hygiene, military medical supplies, officials of the educational and methodological department, and representatives of the faculty took part in the preparation and conduct of the military internship. The training of cadets included the main provisions of methodological recommendations, documents worked out during the internship, and recommendations from representatives of departments focusing on certain profile issues.

RESULTS: The cadets fully completed the military internship program in the stomatology specialty, received positive feedback from the commanders of military units, and successfully defended the reports on the work done. The survey showed that the cadets who were constantly located in remote military units managed to work out the largest number of manipulations, which allowed them to determine the real conditions of their future service. They were also most satisfied with the results of their practical work. The acquired knowledge enabled the cadets to adjust their theoretical training. The vast majority of cadets requested increasing the internship period to 4 weeks. All streams completed the internship without comments due to the responsible attitude of the internship managers and the assistance of officials of the medical service of the Western Military District and the Baltic Fleet.

CONCLUSION: The military internship allowed the cadets to get acquainted with real military service, instilling a sense of pride in belonging to the Armed Forces of Russia. The experience gained allowed us to focus on planning internships in military units, whereas the number of cadets specializing in dentistry should be no more than two in one military unit. It is desirable to expand the geography of the internship. Thus, the duration of clinical practice was recommended to be at least 4 weeks. A more in-depth study of the documentation conducted in the dental office and as a part of the medical service is necessary. Publishing methodological recommendations on the organization of clinical practice (military internship) of cadets studying in the stomatology specialty is desirable.