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1aRaikhan Tuleutayeva,  1bAygerim Mukhamedova, 1aAygerim Musina, 1cZuhra Sultanova, 1aAssem Makhatova,  ,2Michaela Vancova,  1dAlexandra Selivestrova,  1eErkezhan Kalshabai, 3Roza Taimanova, 1fSamatbek Abdrahmanov, 2Natalia Kopuncova, 1gGulnara Nurgalieva, 1hErnar Mamyrov,  4Dinara Alibekova, 1dLaura Pak, 5Raisa Kuzdenbayeva,  6Ljuba Bacharova, 7Gulmira Kudaiberdieva, 8Jonathan Lipton

1aDepartment of Pharmacology and Evidence Based Medicine, Semey State medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1b Functional Diagnosis Department of University Hospital Semey State medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1cDepartment of Vascular Surgery, Semey State Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1dOncology and Visual Diagnosis Department, Semey State medical University,  Semey, Kazakhstan,
1eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Semey State medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1fGeneral Surgery Department, Semey State medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1gObstetrics&Gynecology Department, Semey State medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
1hAnesthesiology Department,   Semey State Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,
2Slovak Research Center, Slovakia
3 National Scientific Center of Surgery A.N.Sizganov, Almaty, Kazakhstan
4Oncology Center, Taraz, Kazakhstan
5Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmaceutics of Kazakhstan
6International Laser Center, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, Journal of Electrocardiology
7Heart Vessels and Transplantation Journal
8Department of Cardiology, Royal Hobart Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Hobart TAS, Australia

 

This year the International Research Interdisciplinary Schools (IRIS) were held in three locations in Slovakia and Kazahkstan. The purpose and methodology of the IRIS has been described in detail in previous reports (1-12). Participants in IRIS may increase the number of publications after compared to prior their participation (13). From September 23 to September 28 the IRIS was held at the sanatorium Stroitel, Semey, Kazakhstan. Far from the noisy city, resting from the city bustle and the intense rhythm of modern everyday life, enjoying the silence of the pine forest, young scientists had the opportunity to acquire the skills of scientific researches.

The school was organized by the Department of Pharmacology and Evidence- Based Medicine of the Semey State Medical University and Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists of the East Kazakhstan region under patronage of the Journal of Electrocardiology, Heart Vessels and Transplantation ,  journal of school initiative (13). The international faculty and organizing committee was represented by international research interdisciplinary school faculty: Ljuba Bacharova -Executive Editor of Journal of Electrocardiology, International Laser Center and Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia;  Jonathan Lipton, Associate Editor of Heart Vessels and Transplantation journal, Royal Hobart Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Hobart, Australia; Gulmira Kudaiberdieva, Editor-in-Chief of Heart Vessels and Transplantation journal; Raikhan Tuleutayeva, Chief of Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Evidence-Based Medicine, Semey Medical University, Semey Kazakhstan, Aygerim Musina,Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Evidence-Based Medicine, Semey Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan, Zuhra Sultanova, Department of Vascular Surgery, Semey Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan,  Laura Pak, Department of Oncology and Visual Diagnostics,Semey Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan and Raisa Kuzdenbayeva- chief of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmaceutics Association of Kazakhstan.

The eleven participants were from Kazakhstan and Slovakia and of 9 different specialties, including anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, clinical pharmacology, general surgery, clinical trial management, cardiothoracic surgery, physiology and general medicine. Participants were at different levels of experience including specialists, doctors in training and PhD students:

Alibekova Dinara – oncology (specialist), Taraz, Kazakhstan; Taimanova Roza – cardiothoracic surgery (specialist), Almaty, Kazakhstan; Michaela Vancova – clinical trial management, Slovak Research Center, Slovakia; Natalia Kopuncova –clinical trial management, Slovak Research Center, Slovakia; Nurgalieva Gulnara - obstetrics and gynecology (PhD student); Mukhamedova Aigerim – clinical physiology (PhD student); Makhatova Assem – clinical pharmacology (PhD student);  Abdrahmanov Samatbek – general surgery (PhD student); Mamyrov Ernar – anesthesiology (PhD student); Selivestrova Alexandra – oncology (resident); Kalshabai Erkezhan – medicine (intern), Semey, Kazakhstan.

 

Figure 1. Panel discussion

Participants were divided into 3 research groups in order to obtain diversity in background, experience and nationality of the team members. During 4 days of workshops they prepared and presented the following projects:

Team "Sharks": Comparison of the gradient in Left Ventricular Outflow Tract (LVOT) in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after alcohol septal ablation and surgical myectomy”.

Team “Hunters”: The effect of cytokine therapy (CT) on the survival of patients with non-operable lung cancer (LC) receiving chemotherapy (CHT).

Team "The Girls": Prognostic significance of Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for maternal complications in the early onset severe pre-eclampsia.

Using a four workshop structure, each team developed a project, based on the theme chosen by the participants, and presented it to the entire audience. During the group discussions, the faculty guided interactive discussions providing feedback on the group projects. An additional session was held, at which faculty and participants exchanged their experiences on how to submit the manuscript and publish it in an international peer-reviewed journal.

Figure 2. Team Hunters: Assem Makhatova, Alexandra  Selivestrova, Natalia Kopuncova and Samatbek Abdrahmanov: storming in-doors warmly

Figure 3. Team " Sharks":  Michaela Vancova, Ernar Mamyrov, Aigerim Mukhamedova, Roza Taimanova – storming in splendid environment out-doors

 

Figure 4. Team  The Girls: Roza Taimanova, Erkezhan Kalshabai,Gulnara Nurgalivea: performing  – final presentation of project

The social part of the program included a welcome dinner and opening ceremony, but also cultural events - a visit to the Polkovnichy Island, were the monument "Stronger than Death” and “Peace” stella were erected in memory of the victims of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. The Memorial Square serves as the venue for an annual anti-nuclear rally with the participation of foreign guests. And a visit to the literary- memorial museum and former residence of  F.M. Dostoyevsky, a historic wooden house built in 1838.

Figure 5. Cultural program: Polkovnichy Island,  monument "Stronger than Death” and “Peace” stella in memory of the victims of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and Museum of Fedor M. Dostoyevsky

The participants and faculty visited the Semey State Medical University: an educational and clinical center where students are trained using high-tech interactive patient simulation and medical mannequins, virtual reality surgical training simulators, models used in the educational process. The guests were given the opportunity to listen to the heart sounds on the cardio-pulmonary simulator patient training simulator (torso model) with computer support for clinical training in cardiology and pulmonology Harvey. We saw the operation on the virtual simulator LapSim and the virtual simulator arthroscopy ArtroVR. The guests also saw the development of the clinical case "Neonatal Resuscitation" on the interactive dummy of the newborn Hall.

Figure 6. Semei Medical State University(upper picture)

Although the schedule was tense, and the teams worked from early morning until late at night, participants and teachers still had the opportunity during short breaks to enjoy walks in a unique pine forest.

Figure 7. Enjoying nature during brief breaks between workshops

Figure 8. Farewell dinner: 1^st raw: Aygerim Musina (Faculty), Michaela Vancova,  Assem Makhatova,  Alexandra Selivestrova,  Zuhra Sultanova (Faculty), Raikhan Tuleyutayeva (Faculty), Gulmira Kudaiberdieva (Faculty), Ljuba Bacharova (Faculty), Erkezhan Kalshabai, Roza Taimanova, Laura Pak (Faculty), Samatbek Abdrahmanov,

2^nd raw:  Natalia Kopuncova,  Gulnara Nurgalieva,  Ernar Mamyrov,  Dinara Alibekova, Jonathan Lipton (Faculty), Vladislav Bacharov (Observing Faculty)

On the last day the participants held their final presentation of the group projects. This was followed faculty presentations  (Jonathan Lipton and Ljuba Bacharova)  summarizing the group projects  and illustrating the lessons learned during the workshops, both in entertaining and in educational format.

Then followed the ceremony of awarding certificates and a farewell celebration.

Below are the comments received from the participants of the research school. We would like to thank the participants for their tremendous enthusiasm and dedication to acquire and develop skills in research project development, teamwork, interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

Dinara Alibekova - Taraz, Kazakhstan:

I was told about IRIS by my husband, who participated in this school last year in Taraz. He was very impressed and now I understand why, because I have a lot of positive emotions, and gained a lot of information! I received both concrete practical advice that can be applied immediately, and new information that you do not yet know what to do, but you feel its value and usefulness. Upon arrival home, I will definitely review my research protocol to apply the knowledge gainedIn general, after the seminar, the horizon of my knowledge has significantly expanded!

Gulnara Nurgalieva -Semey, Kazakhstan:

The school was very interesting and informative, despite the fact that some of the information was already known to me. Many aspects of writing the research protocol gave food for thought and allowed a new look at my research protocol, which I will definitely use in my dissertation. In addition, the school for me personally became an incentive for a new stage in my professional life. The school taught me how to work in a team. Very warm, friendly atmosphere, professionalism of our teachers. One cannot fail to note the "brainstorm" in both intellectual and lexical (using English) activity, which ultimately brought great satisfaction, which undoubtedly was experienced by all participants of the seminar.  I would very much like to continue studying at this school on interpreting the results and publishing the manuscript in international peer-reviewed journals. Thank you!