ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
Compulsory subjects
| Bachelor‘s and integrated studies students | Master‘s students | Doctoral students |
| Environmental Medicine | Environment and Health | Modern Public Health (together with other VSF departments) |
| Occupational Medicine | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Health Ecology | ||
| Occupational Healthcare | ||
| Compulsory practice in health ecology |
Elective subjects
| Bachelor‘s and integrated studies students | Master‘s students |
| Ecology | Environment Protection |
| Basics of Ecology | Household and Health |
| Baltic Sea Environment and Health | Occupational Safety and Health of Doctors |
| Environmental Toxicology | Ergonomics |
| Healthy Nutrition | Employee Healthcare and Safety |
| Basics of Nutrition | Women’s Work and Health |
| Healthy Nutrition and Food Safety | Child‘s Environment and Health |
| Healthy Nutrition and its Maintenance | Children’s Environmental Health and Kinesiology (jointly with the Department of Kinesiology) |
| Military Hygiene and Epidemiology | Introduction to Nutritional Science |
| Basics of Ergonomics | Maintaining a Healthy Diet |
| Basics of Occupational Safety | Occupational Health of Medical Workers |
| Work and Health of Odontologists | Health Ecology |
| Medical Work, Stress and Health | |
| Medical Work and Health | |
| Health of Children and Adolescents | |
| Practicing Health Ecology |
Postgraduate studies
| Residency | Master‘s studies |
| Occupational Medicine | Public health, Specialization – Health Ecology |
Development courses
Occupational Medicine, 40 hours, for Family, Occupational Medicine and Internal Medicine doctors.
Occupational Healthcare in a Company, 40 hours, intended for those intending to work or already working as occupational health specialists in companies, institutions, and other organisations.
The subject of the department‘s research – the Impact of Environmental Factors on Health and the Prevention of Harm
The main directions of the department’s research work:
Working conditions of those who work with computers and their impact on health, evaluation of children‘s work with computers.
The influence of psychosocial work environment factors on health.
Working conditions and health of medical workers.
Relationships of environmental and climatic factors with symptoms and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases.
Associations of residential environment and lifestyle risk factors with chronic disease risk.
Research is also being developed to assess the impact of environmental factors and nutrition on health.
Project “Developing Competences at the International Conference (EUPHA)”, No. 09.3.3.-LMT-K-712-06-0002.
In 2006-2008, the department carried out the ESF project “Creation and application of the practical activity simulation model (PASM or in Lith. PVSM) for student training at the Kaunas University of Medicine”. In the course of this project, the Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine introduced the Practical Activity Simulation Model (PASM), which is still in use today. PASM is a computer program (simulator) + practical activity simulation situation, which consists of theoretical information of the topic + visual information + legal database + virtual practical work + problem situation + self-control test. During laboratory work, students perform virtual laboratory work and solve complex problem situations at the computerised workplace. In 2009, this project received the greatest support from the Lithuanian population and won the European Sail Awards for an e-idea beneficial to society.
Employees of the department participated in scientific research: “Plan and Monitoring Project of Measures for Improving the Safety and Health of Workers in Agricultural Enterprises”, “Professional Injuries of Muscles and Skeleton During Work of Lifting Loads and Cleaning Premises”, “Investigation of Psychosocial Working Conditions of Medical Workers and Recommendations on How to Improve Preparation” and the OSHA European Agency Office project “Worker Safety and Health”.
The department’s researchers cooperate with Lithuanian higher education institutions – VU Institute of Public Health, KTU Ergonomics Department, ŠU Continuing Studies Centre. There is active cooperation with the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Health Protection, and public healthcare institutions. The department’s employees participate in the preparation of legal acts and projects of hygiene norms. Department employees participate in the work of the Ministry of Health’s Central Occupational Medical Expert Commission.
International relations are maintained and developed with the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland, scientists of the Latvian Occupational Medicine Centre, active participation in the activities of the international network of health-promoting hospitals, and work in the field of occupational health policy formation in cooperation with the Institute of Hygiene.