Ukrainian and Polish Postgraduate Physiotherapy Educational Programs – A Comparative Analysis Based on the Examples of Poznan University of Medical Sciences and Lviv’s Ukrainian Catholic University

Abstract

During the last few years, Ukraine has started to create modern physiotherapy and rehabilitation system actively. The western part of Ukraine plays an essential role in this process. In August 2016, a reformed system of classification of professions was officially introduced in Ukraine. It defines the scope of competence of an ‘occupational therapist’, ‘physiotherapist’ and ‘physician of rehabilitation or physical medicine’ professions. The theoretical basis for the divergence of responsibilities and particular qualifications was authorized by the Minister of Health Care of Ukraine in The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The main aim of the study was to compare Ukrainian and Polish Postgraduate Physiotherapy Educational Programs at Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) and Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in the context of the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills and social competencies required by the modern concept of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Additionally, some facts from the recent past of Ukrainian physiotherapy have been described. They are noticeable differences in the development of the discipline and organization of studies. Studies at PUMS are dominated by specialist subjects comparing with a higher number of introductory and general topics realized at UCU. The proportion of the number of hours devoted to the implementation of the program during the first and the second year of postgraduate studies is expressed by ratio 1980/2030 hours (PUMS) vs 1510/1810 (UCU). Significant disproportion also exists between the number of self-study hours for the first and second year (PUMS 480/615 hours vs UCU 1230/1520).