Professor Olena Voloshyna: Academician Zaporozhan is a rector who thinks and works for the future

We continue the series of articles dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Odessa National Medical University. And today we will talk about the achievements and plans of the Department of General Practice and the University with Dr. of Med. Ph.D., Professor, Head of the Department of General Practice, Voloshyna Olena Borysivna.
You have been heading the department since 2005. What has changed over the years?
The Department of General Practice, as planned from the beginning, teaches 6th year students, interns in the specialties “General Practice – Family Medicine” and “Therapy”. In addition, therapists and pediatricians have the opportunity to specialize in “general practice – family medicine” in the cycles of secondary specialization. And also any family doctor can improve their knowledge in cycles of advanced training.
Today, thanks to the administration of ONMedU, our department is equipped not only with computers, but also with a large number of devices, simulators, on which students, interns and doctors have the opportunity to learn and improve practical skills. But all this would not be enough for us if we did not have a strong clinical base. We conduct classes and have the opportunity to consult in the consulting and diagnostic department of the Center for Reconstructive Medicine (University Clinic). The department works in close cooperation with doctors not only of this department, but also of all the University clinic.
Do you have many employees?
Today, our department has 21 employees, many of whom have been working with me for 15 years. Some moved to other departments, in particular, Professor I.P. Shmakova headed the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, and S.F. Goncharuk – the Department of Clinical Immunology, Genetics and Medical Biology. Our employees are always high-level specialists.
You are the initiator of a number of scientific studies in the field of treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cardiovascular pathology. What research is currently being worked on at the department?
The research of the department staff is devoted to the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cardiovascular problems. In recent years, we have been conducting research to improve the effectiveness of treatment of hypertension (AH) with comorbidities in the practice of family medicine. According to the results of this work only in 2017-2019 4 candidate dissertations were defended (A.O. Chaika, S.V. Busel, V.O. Zbitneva, V.V. Samorukova).
And your personal inventions?
On my account I have 8 patents, inventions are devoted to improving the diagnosis of cholecysto-cardiac syndromes, differential diagnosis of resistant and pseudo-resistant hypertension, differential diagnosis of hypertension and neurocirculatory dystonia, etc.
You also head the Odessa Regional Association of General Practitioners – Family Medicine.
Yes, but I was also elected a member of the Board of the Ukrainian Association of Family Medicine (UACM), which is headed by Professor Matyukha L.F. At the last meeting of the Board on July 15, 2020, the work of the Medical Council at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the new curriculum of primary (interns) and secondary specialization, the postponement of the Congress of Family Physicians to June 3-4, 2021 in connection with the epidemic situation were discussed remotely.
How would you assess the rectorship of Valerii Zaporozhan?
You know, at one of the conferences at the beginning of this century, a professor from another medical university said: “You are very lucky with the rector: he thinks and works for the future.” And working next to Valerii Mykolaiovych, I was often convinced of the correctness of the words of this professor.
In particular, the Department of Family Medicine was established in 1998 at our university as one of the first in Ukraine.
It was Valerii Mykolaiovych who initiated the creation of University Clinics in Ukraine. I think that Valerii Mykolaiovych needed a lot of time, energy, nerves to organize the first one, and then other university clinics. There are still no analogues to them in Ukrainian medical universities.
Our university was one of the first to introduce simulators, models for practicing practical skills by students, interns, cadets of various specialties.
Much can be said about the scientific achievements of Valerii Mykolaiovych, who made a significant contribution to national and world medical science in the field of endoscopic diagnosis and surgery, genetics, molecular biology and more. But I would especially like to note his role in the creation of nooethics – a new direction of bioethics, which covers many issues and problems associated with artificial intervention in the noosphere at the molecular, cellular, organismal and social levels.
I believe that Valerii Mykolaiovych Zaporozhan is really a “rector who thinks and works for the future.” I am honored to work alongside him.