Education synergy in medicine: integrated approaches to teaching clinical internal medicine and surgical disciplines

Aim. To study the effectiveness of integrating lectures into the teaching of internal medicine disciplines in medical education, focusing on de­ve­loping competencies related to empathy, communication, inter­dis­cip­linarity, and the correct and timely routing of clinical cases. Material and methods . The project is being implemented at Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia. Students, residents, and those stu­dying additional professional education participate in integrated clas­ses combining the specialties of Hospital Internal Medicine and Hospital Surgery. Classes are conducted according to the work programs and curriculum. Case studies from real-world practice, discussions, interactive methods, and elements of problem-based learning are used. Results. The introduction of integrated lectures improved the edu­ca­tion quality, increasing student interest and the depth of material under­standing. Students and residents noted increased motivation and the effectiveness of their independent work. The use of digital resources and the integrated lecture bank enabled in-depth study of key areas of in­terdisciplinary collaboration, such as the diagnosis and treatment of com­plex esophageal and gastric diseases. Conclusion . Integrated lectures are an effective tool for developing interdisciplinary thinking and fostering a holistic understanding of phy­sician professional activity. They contribute to improving the quality of me­dical education by ensuring a comprehensive understanding of me­dical problems and training specialists successfully functioning in a rapidly changing healthcare.