Jessenius Faculty of Medicine
 Latin: Facultas Medica Jesseniana | |
| Motto | Improve health through leadership, discoveries, and innovation |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1969 |
| Dean | Prof. Ján Danko, M.D., PhD. |
Academic staff | 247 |
| Students | 1506 |
| Location | 49°04′00″N 18°55′51″E / 49.0667°N 18.9307°E |
| Campus | Urban |
| Affiliations | Comenius University of Bratislava |
| Website | www.jfmed.unika.sk |
The Jessenius Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University, Slovak: Jesseniova lekarská fakulta) located in Martin, Slovakia, is the academic medical teaching and research arm of Comenius University. It is one of the thirteen faculties of University, and is the only one of the faculties of the University which is not located in Bratislava.
Jessenius has consistently been the nation's number one medical school according to the Slovakian University Ranking and Rating Association and one of the top medical Schools in Central Europe.[1][2] Its major teaching hospital, The Martin University Hospital, has been constantly ranked among the best hospitals in Slovakia, as of 2011 it's ranked 2nd.[3] Along with its Slovak taught programs the school also offers English language master and PhD. programs in the fields of General Medicine, nursing, Public Health and Odontology.[4] Since 2001, the school publishes the scholarly journal Acta Medica Martiniana (AMM) as successor to the Folia Medica Martiniana that was published sporadically between 1971 - 1996. AMM is issued periodically with three issues per year in English and publishes original research papers, as well as review articles in both medical and biomedical sciences in addition to nursing.[5]
Jessenius also headquarters three National Centers of Excellence, funded through the Science and Research program of the EU, which are cutting-edge institutions for Perinatology and Pulmonology research (both basic science and clinical) and emphasizes medical innovation, novel methods, discoveries, and interventions. The current dean of the medical school is Dr. Ján Danko, a gynecologist, who succeeded surgeon Dr. Dusan Mistuna in 2011.
History
Origins
History of graduate training of medical students in Martin date as far back as 1962 when a detached working place of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava was set up at the Martin hospital - which was by then a renowned center of postgraduate training for doctors. The first group of included 112 4th year students, mostly from Bratislava and Kosice who began studying in the academic year of 1962/1963. The first graduation ceremony was held in 1965.
It was however not until 1967 that complete training of general medicine started. On June 6th 1969 the Faculty of Medicine with the seat in Martin was officially established as the 8th faculty and the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University. Another chapter in the School's background started with the velvet revolution and the fall of communism in 1989, of which the student movements at JSM played a major role, the faculty gained democratic self-government, an Academic Senate was established and compulsory classes in Marxist ideology was abolished. The senate today has 35 members, of which 23 is faculty and 12 is students.
After the Velvet revolution
On the basis of the decision of this Academic Senate in 1991 the Faculty was renamed to the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in honor of the medieval physician and humanist Jan Jessenius, the Rector of Charles University in Prague, whose ancestors had their roots in the district of Martin.
Around the same time in 1991 the Faculty, as the first medical faculty in Slovakia, opened enrollment to international students who are tuition-payers. General Medicine education for these students is provided in English language.[6]
Currently JSM provides educational, scientific research, treatment and prevention at fourteen theoretical and clinical institutes, twenty-seven clinics and four institutes. The current new Assembly hall which houses the dean's office was completed in July 2010. In September 2012, due to an acute shortage of dentists in Slovakia, Jessenius first began offering study programs for Odontology students, with six students starting that autumn.[7]
Over the last 30 years there has been more than 4,000 graduates not only from Slovakia but also from all over Europe, Africa, Asia and America. Nowadays, there are students from more than 20 countries, mainly from Scandinavia and the USA, studying General Medicine at the Jessenius School of Medicine in Martin.
Campus
Main campus
The school's campus is located on the Malá Hora hill and consists of four separate buildings. The historical M.R. Štefánik building, which is home to the three National Centres of Excellence, as well as the school's Nursing academy. The main building, which headquarters all the pre-clinical medical departments such as Anatomy and Physiology. The Assembly Hall, which houses the dean's office and the aula magna which itself is used for conferences, graduations, inaugurations, Matriculation etc, as well as the adjacent Slovak National Library.[8] The school's departments however, also use other facilities for scientific research purposes, this is enabled through the school's contract with the Martin University Hospital, which serves as its teaching hospital.
There are two main campus residential halls: The Big Hostel (Slovak: Velký internát), which has historically housed Slovak students, and The Small Hostel (Slovak: Malý internát) which is more associated with foreign students. There are also on-campus apartment-style residence hall called Faculty House, which is available for both students and faculty.
Slovak National Library
The Slovak National Library (Slovak: Slovenska narodna knižnica) is the National Library of Slovakia. It is the oldest, largest and most prominent national and scientific library in Slovakia. Nearly 190 years old, it is tasked with documenting the past and present spiritual and material development of the Slovak nation, as well as being the custodian of the treasures of Slovak national culture.[9]
It is located in adjacent to the school campus between the Malá hora hill and the Big Hostel and its large studying halls is heavily frequented by medical students. It is associated with the Matica Slovenská, the Slovak Cultural Institute. The institute itself is located in the town center.
Academics
Admission
The Jessenius School of Medicine maintains a highly selective admission standard for its undergraduate programs. Applicants must have a completed secondary school education, reached the age of 17 or more and possess excellent knowledge in Biology, Chemistry and English. The school's undergraduate admission rate in 2011 was 18,08%
Academic year
The academic year is divided into two terms, determined by Regulation, with six-week examination periods scheduled at the end of each terms. The winter term lasts from early September to mid-December; while the summer term lasts from early February to late May. Within these terms, undergraduate teaching takes place. After each academic year, usually in the end of August, there is a re-take period for students who have failed or otherwise postponed exams during the exam period. Undergraduates are also expected to prepare in the holiday periods (Christmas and Summer).[10]
International co-operation
In addition to actively taking part in Europe's leading mobility initiative, the ERASMUS programme; JSM has extensive international collaborative relations with various Universities and Institutes around the globe e.g. Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, University of Florida College of Medicine in USA, Faculty of Medicine at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, School of Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide in Australia etc. As of 2011 the school reports to have 412 international students form 14 different countries.[11] Among the students there is a sizeable community of some 300 Norwegian students,[12] as in recent years the school has emerged as one of the most popular study destinations for foreign students from Norway.[13]
Research
Research activities at JSM continiues to provide material and technical workstations as well as personal development, improving the quality of the teaching staff and increasing their qualifications, and is therefore crucial for the development of the faculty as a whole. The school is gradually profiling itself through six major research areas: the respiratory system in health and disease, diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system related to care for mother and child, malignant cancers, selected internal disorders and the working environments adverse effect on the human health.
Research in these areas focuses a significant portion of the human and economic capacity at JSM and significantly contributes to the results of the research activities. Through the fulfillment of certain criteria, the university clinics and institutes (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Children and Adolescents, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Physiology, Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Pathology and Department of Pathophysiology) became the leading research institutes of the Comenius University.
Centers of Excellence
At the JSM there are currently 3 Centers of Excellence. Two arose in early 2009 - Center of Excellence for Perinatology Research (CEPV) and Center for Experimental and Clinical Respirology (CEKR), third center was established in September 2010 - Center of Excellence for research in personalized therapy (CEVYPET). Centers of Excellence are focused primarily on basic research in medical sciences.
Publications
During the entire existence of the school, the total number of published material stands at 17,400 publications and 17 991 citations (2913 cited documents). The quality of scientific research, but also the work of the faculty is reflected by the official Slovak academic rating agency (ARRA), which has continuously rated the Jessenius School of Medicine as the best medical school in Slovakia.[14]
Student life and traditions
Student life and campus culture at Jessenius School of Medicine is highly diverse and is influenced both by the native Slovak student population, but also by the large community of foreign students. Annual events celebrate the school's traditions, culture and sports.
Student unions
The Martin Group of Medical Students (Slovak: Martinský klub medikov, abbreviated to MKM) is the interest association of the slovak students at JSM, which helps ensure full social life and spiritual development of students on the basis of cultural, special interest, sports and science. Involved in providing lectures, seminars, discussions, cultural, social and sporting events, exhibitions etc, MKM organizes professional clinical practice, and domestic and foreign exchange student programs. The group also collaborates with other professional organizations in Slovakia and abroad. The students issues its own magazine called Omphalus Martinensis.[15]
The Norwegian students are organized in the Association of Norwegian Students Abroad, abbreviated to ANSA, through its Slovakia chapter called ANSA Slovakia. Additionally all foreign students are represented through the Foreign Student Council, a body which helps represent the interest of the non-native students.[16]
Events
At each winter semester, a modern variant of the medieval central European tradition of deposition (Slovak: Beánie) is held. During these festivities, both students and faculty celebrate the matriculation of the new first graders. In September, second year students also celebrate with a traditional party to mark the end of the of the so-called dissection week, a week dedicated to extensive anatomical dissections and tests. Another Slovak tradition is the celebration called Lamavica which is held every year. The party is a celebration for all fourth-year students to mark that they are halfway through their studies.
Every December the Association of Norwegian Students hosts the traditional Scandinavian julebord for all students. This increasingly popular Christmas tradition includes dinner, speeches, awards and charity fund-raising.[17] Another important tradition and which originates in Slovak folklore is the raising of the Maypole (Slovak: Máj) before May 1st. According to tradition the tree with colorful ribbons is put up in front of houses of single young women. In modern times, Slovak students raise the symbolic tree in honor of the female students at the school, sing folk-songs and dance folk-dances in traditional costumes.[18]
Athletics
The Jessenius School of Medicine hosts several private non-affiliated sports teams, including the HK Slávia Medik womens handball team. The club, who since being promoted after the 2011/2012 season, currently plays in the 2nd tier of the league system, and consists solely of female students at JSM.[19] Additionally the students have organized teams in football, ultimate, volleyball, field hockey and basketball. Every year in late March, there is organized the traditional ANSA JFMED Indoor Football Tournament, where every grade forms ad-hoc teams and compete against each other in the sport of indoor football.[20]
References
- ^ "Assessment 2011". Academic Ranking and Rating Agency. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
- ^ SITA (30 November 2011). "Kompletné hodnotenie vysokých škôl: Študujete na kvalitnej univerzite?". Nový cas (in Slovak). Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ Hudecova, Dorota (08.03.2008). "ako pacienti hodnotia kvalitu nemocnici". pravda.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 03.08.2012.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Comenius University i Bratislava". pravda.sk (in Slovak). 3 February 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Javorka, Kamil. "Fakultný časopis vydávaný od roku 2001". Acta medica martiniana (in Slovak). uniba.sk. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ Krajcovic, Andrej (2012). "Jessenius Faculty of Medicine". Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave. Retrieved 05.07.2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Dierova, Miroslava. "There will also be dentists studying in Martin" (in Slovak). sme.sk. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ Kovalčíková, Jana. "Aula is for medical students before inspection". sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ "Slovak National Library in Martin (SNK)". About the library (in Slovak). Snk.sk. 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Krajcovic, Andrej (2006). "Schedule of the academic year" (in Slovak). Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ "Jesseniova Lekarska Fakulta" (PDF) (in Slovak). 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
- ^ Rybarova, Ela. "Norwegian medical students studying in Martin". Sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ Statens lånekasse for utdanning (2011). "Mest populære læresteder 2010-2011". Statistikk (in Norwegian). Laanekassen.no. Retrieved 03.08.2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Dierova, Miroslava. "Our medical faculty again the best". turiec.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ "Studensky server Jesseniovej lekarskej fakulty UK v Martine" (in Slovak). Mkmedic.eu. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ Braaten, Tonje G. "Foreign Student Council". Ansa.no. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ Braaten, Tonje G. "Julebord!". Nyheter (in Norwegian). Ansa.no. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ "Slovakia: School Festivals through the Year". Traditions. Lifelong Learning Programme (Comenius). Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ Budín, Richard. "Handball in Martin: Norwegian medics doesn't come only to study!". Nový Cas (in Slovak). Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ Braaten, Tonje G. "ANSA JFMED Indoor Football Tournament". Nyheter. Ansa.no. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
Further reading
- Comenius University in Bratislava: 90 years of higher education and science in Slovakia. Publishing UK, 2009, ISBN 978-80-223-2658-2.
- Comenius University in Bratislava: History and Present State of the Comenius University in Bratislava 1919 - 2000. E & J Publishing, Bratislava, 2000, ISBN 80-968419-0-4.