ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Family Medicine at the LSMU Medical Academy (MA) is a research and practical training base for family medicine residents. The department also teaches practical and theoretical family medicine modules to students of the Faculties of Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, and Odontology.
The residency consists of 16 specialised cycles. The Family Medicine cycle lasts about 1.5 years and is divided into several activities. One of them is delivered by the Department of Family Medicine. Another 3 months are dedicated to skill training at a private clinic, where residents can get to know the operations at the organisation, the structure and principles of work, and the clinical activities. The following 3 months are dedicated to a polyclinic facility serving a large population. The final 3 months are allocated to the practice of rural medicine. Residents are assigned to a family physician as the residency supervisor and work together. Depending on the resident’s skills, knowledge, and proactivity in working with patients, the resident is given a certain degree of autonomy. Currently, there are several rooms in the Department of Family Medicine of the MA where only residents work.
During the theoretical course of the family medicine cycle, residents are introduced to the principles of scientific and research work. Research is one of the compulsory components of the Family Medicine residency. Critical reading of the literature, correct planning and execution of scientific research, analysis of the obtained data, and preparation of the work for publication are essential skills for the practice of a modern family physician. These skills are developed throughout the entire period of Family Medicine residency studies. During the 3 years of residency, Family Medicine residents are required to prepare, conduct, summarise and present their research work in primary care or publish at least 1 article in a peer-reviewed journal.
Clinical activity
Primary health care (PHC) services are provided at the Family Medicine Clinic of Kaunas Clinics (Eivenių St. 2) and the branch of Family Medicine Clinic of Kaunas Clinics (Vytauto Ave. 49) for patients who have registered with the clinic, as well as for patients who have not registered and need emergency care.
Patients with acute health issues are consulted in the Emergency Room upon the arrival of an out-of-hours family doctor.
The Clinic provides antenatal care, implements preventive programmes (cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer programmes, awareness raising on the mammography programme for breast cancer prevention, cardiovascular disease prevention programme).
The Clinic provides preventive health care and vaccinations for children. Patients also have the option to consult with a psychiatrist and a psychologist.
During the closed hours of the Family Clinic, patients are consulted in the Emergency Department of Kaunas Clinics. On weekends and holidays, there is the option for telephone consultations with the on-call family doctor.
