The educational and methodological work of the department is directed and supervised by the head of the Department of Microbiology, candidate of Medical Science, associate professor Ekaterina Petrovna Kolevatykh. The department trains intramural students in the specialty "General Medicine", "Pediatrics", "Dentistry", "Medical Biochemistry" and extramural (direction of training "Commodity Science"), both intra- and extramural (Nursing Care).
The discipline "Microbiology, Virology" (252 academic hours) includes 3 units: General Microbiology for 2nd-year students of the specialties "General Medicine", "Pediatrics", "Medical Biochemistry", directions of training "Nursing Care"; "Fundamentals of Microbiology" for the direction of training "Commodity Science" intramural and extramural learning (2nd and 3rd courses); "Microbiology of homogeneous groups of food products, sanitation and hygiene", "Bio-damage of non-food products" for students of the direction of "Commodity Science" full-time and correspondence courses (2nd, 3rd and 4th courses). The discipline "Immunology" consists of 2 units: "General Immunology" and "Fundamentals of Clinical Immunology" for students of the specialty "General Medicine", "Pediatrics"; "Immunology – Clinical Immunology" - of 3 units: "General Immunology", "Clinical Immunology", "Oral Immunology" for students of the specialty "Dentistry"; "General Immunology", "Fundamentals of Clinical immunology", "Features of immune status research" for students of the specialty "Medical Biochemistry".
The main purpose of training at the department is to contribute to the formation of professional competencies in Microbiology, Virology, Immunology. To do this, the professor and associate professors of the department give lectures accompanied by slide presentations. Lectures are held in lecture roomsof Kirov State Medical University equipped with television sets and multimedia projectors.
The formation of professional skills and abilities is carried out in practical classes. According to the curriculum, 120 academic hours are devoted to the course of the section "General Microbiology", 132 academic hours to specialty bacteriology and virology, 180 hours to the course "Microbiology of homogeneous groups of food products, sanitation and hygiene". Lectures and practical classes on the discipline "Clinical Microbiology" (72 hours) are also held for 4th-year students at the department. In practical classes, students master the stages of preparation of fixed preparations from the studied material; they study the rules for taking material from patients in compliance with asepsis and antiseptics; get acquainted with the rules for transporting pathological material intended for bacteriological research; apply various methods of colouring bacteriological preparations with their subsequent microscopy, learn to examine living microorganisms.
Trainings were organised in the Multiprofile Accreditation and Simulation Center of Kirov State Medical University on the topic "Algorithms for conducting the preanalytical stage of microbiological methods for diagnosing infectious diseases".
Students also master the skills of cultivating aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in artificial conditions, investigate the biological properties of microorganisms, determine phages, serovars, ecovars of pathogens, their sensitivity to antibiotics. They reproduce an experimental infection in laboratory animals, followed by the study of pathomorphological changes in organs and tissues and the isolation of the pathogen from them. The following reactions are carried out: agglutination, precipitation, complement binding, hemolysis, flocculation, neutralization, enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The microbiological scientific and educational laboratory is equipped with modern ELISA and PCR equipment.
In specialty microbiology classes, students study the properties of pathogens of infectious diseases, characterise their biological activity, environmental characteristics, the main pathogenetic and clinical signs of the diseases they cause. The methods of laboratory diagnostics of infectious diseases and the basic principles of their prevention and treatment are studied in detail; special attention is paid to vaccine and serum preparations. In the cycle of classes in immunology, students get acquainted with the factors of nonspecific resistance, master applied immunology, learn how to use immune drugs for the diagnosis, prevention and therapy of infectious diseases, study the calendar of preventive vaccinations.
The peculiarity of conducting laboratory classes for 3rd-year students of the specialty "Commodity Science" in the discipline "Microbiology of homogeneous groups of food products, sanitation and hygiene" is the need to teach students methods for determining microorganisms in food products, the study of microflora that causes food spoilage, methods for preventing the development of microbial defects of food products. They should be well aware of the characteristics of microorganisms used in the production of various products. Special attention is paid to the examination of the quality of food products according to hygienic and bacteriological indicators.
The quality of students' preparation for classes is monitored through an active interview, testing (preliminary, current and final) is used, situational and business tasks are solved, colloquiums are conducted, written control papers are practiced. Test tasks are performed in the computer classes of Kirov State Medical University.
In order to unify classes, the staff of the department has developed methodological recommendations for teachers on each topic. To improve the assimilation of knowledge by students, the department publishes methodological recommendations for practical classes in microbiology, compiled in the form of protocols of laboratory classes. Working with protocols significantly improves the quality of students' knowledge, helps to systematise the acquired knowledge, develops independence in the implementation of bacteriological research, contributes to the formation of professional skills, allows for a more rational use of study time. In order to form professional competencies for students, educational recommendations on all topics of increased complexity have been developed. Thus, a textbook on laboratory diagnostics of infectious diseases has been compiled, designed in the form of diagrams, tables; it helps students to assimilate material on the bacteriological diagnosis of infectious diseases. There are methodological recommendations on biological preparations intended for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.
Practical classes and lectures are accompanied by demonstration of visual materials in the form of tables, slides, stands, slide presentations with the use of a multimedia projector.
During the academic year, teachers conduct demonstration practical classes for the staff of the department using various methods of activating students' cognitive activity: competitions between teams, business and role-playing games, debates, press conferences, etc.
At the end of the classes, a discussion is held at the cathedral methodological meeting in order to exchange experience. This contributes to improving the pedagogical skills of teachers. A "School of Pedagogical Excellence" has been organised.
The traditional event at the department is the organisation of student scientific and practical conferences. From 1989 to 1994, comedy club was held, since 1995 - olympiads, since 2001. - press conferences, round tables on topical issues of microbiology: "Helicobacter Infection in the 21st century", "Avian influenza pathogens", "Atypical pneumonia: etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment problems", "Sour-milk products, the role in improving the quality of human life", "Death in the name of life", "Development of bacteriological service in Vyatka region", "The role of microbiologists of the city of Kirov in the development of antibiotic drugs during the Great Patriotic War". In preparation for conferences, students actively work in the library with catalougs, as well as conduct an Internet search for innovations, which contributes to the comprehensive development of the personality of future doctors. For individual work of students, office No. 317 is equipped with a computer, printer, copier, scanner, there are also classrooms for seminars, laboratory work: rooms 313, 311,305.
Educational work at the department of Microbiology and Virology is aimed at the formation of ethical, deontological and universal values of future doctors. Teachers conduct conversations about the internal regulations at the university, compliance with safety regulations during microbiology classes, compliance with personal hygiene requirements, and the impact of lifestyle on human health. Employees and students take an active part in the "University - Healthy Lifestyle" program. The project "Microbes: friends or enemies?" has been developed. The actions "World Hand Washing Day", "Clean Planet is the key to health", "Fight against drugs and spices" were organised.
