The first All-Russian Student Olympiad on Infectious Diseases was successfully held at the Scientific and Educational Innovation Center of Dagestan State Medical University on Saturday on  April 29. The initiator of the event was the Department of Infectious Diseases named after a Soviet infectious disease specialist, a participant in the Great Patriotic War as an infectious disease consultant, organizer and the first head of the university department Academician G.P. Rudnev .

The purpose of the Olympiad  was to identify and develop students’ creative abilities and interest in practical and research activities, as well as the dissemination and popularization of scientific knowledge in the field of infectious diseases. 8 teams of senior students among the huge number of applicants,  who passed the discipline “Infectious diseases” were allowed to participate in the Olympiad.

The Olympiad was opened by Acting Rector of  DSMU Visampasha  Khanaliev. He made a welcoming speech: “Dear colleagues, students and guests of the event! First of all, I am very pleased to open the Olympiad which is attended by gifted students of our Alma Mater. I wish each of you to show your best result, to win your next personal victory. Good luck! Secondly, I am glad that it so happened that in this significant year for Dagestan State Medical University  in the year of the 90th anniversary, we are holding the first student Olympiad on infectious diseases, with which I would like to congratulate our teachers, colleagues and students with pleasure.”

The welcoming speech was also delivered by Acting Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Head of the Department of Normal Physiology Razin Rahimov, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases Jalalutdin Akhmedov and Head of the Department of Propaedeutics of Children’s Diseases with a course of children’s infections Lala Ulukhanova. They noted that participation in the Olympiad gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, the ability to work in a team and thanked the students for their diligence and wished them victories and endless interest in studying medicine.

Dagestan State Medical University expresses special gratitude to the organizing Committee for the preparation of tasks in both traditional and non-traditional forms, for recruitment and consultation, support of participants of the Olympiad and much more. The organizing committee consisted of: Associate Professor of Student Science Zaira Danialbekova, Associate Professor, head. the academic part of Saida Pashayeva and Associate Professor of Science, Saida Bilalova.

The competition program of the Olympiad included two stages: the first is testing, the second  is question-answer and situational tasks.

Earlier, on April 23, the first stage was held at the Accreditation Center of Dagestan State Medical University. At this stage, all participants of the Olympiad were asked to answer tests on infectious diseases. A certain amount of time is given to solve the tests.

The distinguished jury was represented by the staff of the Department of Infectious Diseases: Head of the Department  Dzhalalutdin Akhmedov; Associate Professor for Medical Work Abduragim Gusniev; Associate Professor for Grants and Innovations Aida Abusueva; assistants  Nashkho Saayeva and Rustam Alkhanov.

So, the second stage of the competition to which 6 teams were admitted according to the results of testing  was held at the Scientific and Educational Innovation Center. The teams proudly pronounced their names, and the competition began.

The teams, trying to get ahead of each other  in the theoretical competition,   discussed and gave answers to many interesting questions concerning rare infectious diseases and the history of diseases. The most difficult stage for students was to pass the stage requiring knowledge of the clinical signs of various infections. It turned out that to make the correct diagnosis by showing images on the screen is not an easy task. They made it to the finals and 4 teams were also the fastest and most accurate. There, participants were asked to give a detailed answer and a treatment plan for the provided situational task.

All participants and guests of the Olympiad received a lot of positive emotions, knowledge and invaluable experience. Following the results of the Olympiad  the jury members made a unanimous decision. The first place was taken by the team “For Vaccination”, the second place — “Bright triponels” and the third place — “Freaky doctors”.

The winners and prize-winners were awarded with diplomas and memorable gifts. Students who received the first place in the Olympiad team game are exempt from the infectious diseases exam and automatically receive an excellent grade. A real gift for the teams that took second and third place, as well as for the fourth team that was in the final, was the joyful news from the organizers of the Olympiad about the assignment of an additional score on the exam in this subject.

In the final speech, the head of the department Dzhalaludin Akhmedov congratulated the winners, thanked them for their diligence, wished them new victories and endless interest in the study of infectious diseases.