Lessons from Lithuania: rethinking public health training

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Lithuania faces significant health challenges common in former Soviet nations, including high morbidity and mortality rates.
• Rapid changes in healthcare financing and organization impact public health initiatives.
• Current public health training at Kaunas Medical Academy is insufficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of public health medicine training for medical undergraduates at Kaunas Medical Academy.
• To identify strategies for improving public health education to enhance population health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A visit to Kaunas Medical Academy by Moore and Dixon to evaluate existing public health training.
• Analysis of the structure, content, and delivery methods of undergraduate public health curriculum.
• Assessment of student engagement and motivation in current training programs.

Main Results:

• Over 200 hours dedicated to public health training, yet it is unfocused, fragmented, and lacks essential epidemiology.
• Teaching relies heavily on lectures with minimal student participation and low motivation.
• Existing training does not adequately prepare physicians for public health roles.

Conclusions:

• The current public health curriculum requires significant redesign to be effective.
• Training in teaching methodologies for educators is crucial.
• Establishment of targeted postgraduate public health training for hospital managers, faculty, and current practitioners is recommended.