EVALUATION OF THE NECESSITY OF EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF MANUAL MEDICINE IN BULGARIA AND TRAINING WITH A PC BASED PROGRAMME (ADAPTED TO THE LEVEL OF COMPETENCES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF USERS)

According documents of the European Center for Development of professional education and training the electronic learning (e-learning) is “education and training, mediated by information and communication technologies, including different formats and hybrid methodologies, like programming systems, Internet, CD-ROM, education by PC in regime of real time, and other electronic or interactive devices.” E-learning is “an application of modern multi-media technologies and Internet, with the objective of amelioration of the quality of education”.

The objective of current research was evaluation of the necessity of vocational education and training in ‘manual medicine’ - between different groups of health professionals, during their studies in this thematic field.

The goal of the investigation was the evaluation of the necessity of development of the manual medicine in the country, and to the readiness of the target groups to receive the possibility of access and to use with efficacy electronic education and practical training on this subject. We decided to amplify the investigation to potential future beneficiaries – students in Medicine (M) of the course V (before the practical last year of studies), students of the bachelor’s degree in Kinesitherapy (KT) from the courses II & III (before the practical summer stage) and from the course IV (before the last clinical semester), and students of the Master’s degree in „Medical Rehabilitation & Balneology“ (MRB) and in ‘’Medical Rehabilitation & Ergotherapy (MRET)’’ before the last practical part of studies.

Current work presents the results of a detailed questionnaire, evaluating the necessity of education in the field of manual medicine of a total of 1186 students and staff. We analyzed results of the study of different types of potential users (students and staff), as follows: students in Medicine, in Medical rehabilitation and Occupational therapy, in Medical Rehabilitation and Balneology, and in Physiotherapy (Kinesiotherapy); and staff during the processus of long life learning (medical doctors - specialists or trainees in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine /PRM/; physiotherapists; bachelors and masters in Medical rehabilitation, Balneology and Ergotherapy). All these members of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team are the users of our own PC based electronic course of manual medicine, including manual diagnostics and manual therapy (distractions, mobilizations and manipulations).

The final statistical evaluation of results we made with the statistical package SPSS, version 19. For statistical significant effects we consider results with value of p<0.05, but in some cases we obtained lower p values (p<0.01).

The goal was to ameliorate the level of vocational competence of all these types of medical staff and students. After the analysis of the actual level of competences of the user, the educational programme offers a list of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; including theoretical bases and practical skills (tips and trips), including presentation of clinical cases. After the education the student must accomplish a series of tests designated to analyze the efficacy of the educational process.

Authors present the results of the evaluation of competences in the field of diagnostic and therapeutic manual procedures.
In conclusion we accentuate on the importance of vocational training if the medical staff for the quality of care and the quality of life of patients.