Introduction
Department of Paediatrics is responsible for the primary teaching of paediatrics to medical students as well as providing the training programme for physicians specialising in paediatrics. Our department is also actively involved in the supplementary training of paediatricians both locally and in the whole country. Scientific research is an integral part of our department, and extensive numbers of articles covering different fields of paediatrics are published every year from our department. We also have a separate Research Unit available for those researchers who are working on their dissertation (Address: Vähä Hämeenkatu 1).
The primary course of paediatrics for medical students consists of 11 weeks of studies. The course programme includes lectures, workshops, patient seminars, teaching and training in the outpatient clinics and different wards, and night duty. In addition to general paediatrics, the course also covers the fields of paediatric surgery, paediatric neurology, and child psychiatry. The goal of the student taking the course is to learn to diagnose and treat the most common diseases and injuries in children and adolescents and, when appropriate, to forward the patient for consultation with a specialist. The student can also participate in several optional courses and pursue advanced studies in different fields of paediatrics as well as work as a physician´s assistant at the Department of Paediatrics.
There are nine training vacancies available for physicians intending to specialise in paediatrics. During the training programme, these physicians work periodically in different wards and clinics at our department. Besides actual working as a doctor, the training programme also includes participation in various meetings according to a structured program. These meetings deal with the key issues in paediatrics, problematic cases, and new major publications in the wide field of paediatrics.
All our teaching programmes make active use of the various options for web-based studies at our University (http://www.medica.utu.fi).