Good Student is a Healthy Student

In the beginning of a new academic year, when several thousands of students joint our Polytechnic family, we decided to raise a topic of health. Studentship is not only the brightest and memorable part of our life, but also it is the time of serious loads, when the energy consumption is very intensive. About healthy lifestyle and why it is important to take care about health from ones youth have continually told RAMS academician V.A. CHERESHNEV himself. Today we continue our conversation with a Chief Physician of Polyclinic №76 O.V. ALESHKO.

In her previous interview a Chief Physician told us about the work of entrusted her medical facility. Today together with her colleague, the candidate of medical Sciences, head of the therapy Department, Chairman of the Medical Commission R.M. BITSADZE Oksana Valerievna told how they take care of the health of Polytechnic students (which includes foreign and international students), which services they can get at the Polyclinic, and why the time they spend in the queue depends only on them.

- Oksana Valerievna, in your previous interview you told that it was necessary to be attached to the Polyclinic where you would like to get medical services. But if you are a student (especially a Polytechnic student), you can be provided with a polyclinic care without any attachment. Is it true?

- The federal statute urges people to exercise their right to choose a medical organization. If you have chosen a Polyclinic and would like to be attached to it, come and write an application. Being attached is a better way, because the amount of medical assistance in this case is more significant, than for those who are not attached to a Polyclinic.

-Your major customers are students. Which medical services do they have at your Polyclinic?

- Mainly we really work with students: annually we provide with a polyclinic care about 66 thousand people. We have agreements with institutions and colleges. In many of these organizations there are our medical stations, every institution has its own therapeutic who reserved to it. We provide medical examinations approved by the Ministry of health: it is periodic health examination of special groups of adults (down to the age of 21), medical examinations before Physical Exercises lessons and GTO program.

A special privilege of our Polyclinic is that according to the General tariff agreement with the city we have right (as distinct from other Polyclinics) to provide a preventive medical examinations of students who live in St. Petersburg. As far as there are a lot of international students they also have an opportunity to have medical examinations according to CHI funds where they have been registered. So you should have Complete Medical Insurance policy, personal insurance policy number (SNILS) and passport.

- So international students can also attend your Polyclinic?

- They should have Private medical insurance (DMS certificate), and our Polyclinic should be written in this certificate. If some medical services are not mentioned in the certificate, they should be paid from their personal finances.

What for international students, here it is very important to find common ground between university and polyclinic.

The fact is that the students who come from countries of the far abroad (more often than not, from Africa, Asia, South America) can be potential carriers of dangerous diseases. That is why for them there are so called 'barrier examinations'. It is clearly defined algorithm of medical examinations and professional advice. It is important to understand that if a student returns back from holidays from his or her country, it is necessary to have this barrier examination. I definitely know that universities understand this, but not everyone controls it properly.

- Is it right that any student or teacher from SPbPU can get a flu shot at your Polyclinic?

- Of course! For example, Rector of SPbPU, Professor A.I. Rudskoy and lots of SPbPU representatives did this just a few days ago. I hope you understand that vaccination is necessary, because universities are organized communities, and the more people there are, the more contacts they have. It is very important for university authorities to understand that we need help to convey information to students and academic staff.

- Besides vaccination, at your polyclinic people can have preventive medical check-up. How can they do that?

- For a long time we've had the queue system. But nowadays we separated doctors who provide medical check-ups, and specialists who provide medical examinations. We have a principle: medical check-ups should be provided only according to the time-table!

- Could you please tell us about the Center for reproductive health that works at your Polyclinic?

- Our Center was founded in 2014. The specialists who work there can holistically research the state of health of teenagers from 15 years and young people under 24 years of age from the point of view of reproductive potential. We have a team work at our Center: urologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist, psychologist and psychotherapist, skin and venereal diseases – they are professionals who are involved as in narrow issues of the patient, as in his mental and emotional state.

- What are the most popular problems the students apply at your Center?

- Very often it is loss of a cycle. Why do we have a comprehensive work of an endocrinologist and a gynecologist? Because when a woman has a loss of a cycle, there is impossible to define a clear diagnostic without an endocrinologist. This specialist should identify the problem: it can be diabetes, hyperprolactinemia (pituitary disease) and so on. Only when an endocrinologist solves this problem, a gynecologist starts working. A patient is not separated from one of the specialists, they can communicate with each other and treat the patient together. Also many young people come to the psychologist’s office. Emotional breakdowns are not uncommon among the students. We rapidly develop the work of psychologists and psychotherapist in connection with universities. One of the main tasks is to define a psychological status of first-year students. We should understand what we can expect from people who have just entered the university, and to prevent various negative accidents. Some of them are comfortable with new surroundings, dormitories; some people with the first days of their studying have emotional disorders. Along with that our specialists work with the students according to anti-drug, anti-alcohol and anti-smoking programs. We provide different lectures and cinema events, and the students attend it with interest.

- What can you advise to students to stay healthy, to study properly and become a good specialist?

- You are absolutely right speaking 'to become a good specialist'. Imagine the situation when two graduates start working at some company. One of them is often sick, and even if he is at work, he complains of headache or something like that. Another works without a sick leave, because he takes care about his health. Who is more productive? Of course, the second person! A boss can rely on him, and commit a serious task to him. In one word, a good specialist is a healthy specialist. And this should be founded in the times of studentship. According to the statistics, the majority of students have visual, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems diseases. It is the result of long hours they spend working at the computer, and lack of fresh air and physical activities. So you should have a rational mode of work and rest, get rid of bad habits, and eat healthy food. It means that the energy you get should be the same as the energy your spend, and chemical composition of the diet should be in congruence with the needs of your body in nutrient materials. And, of course, do not forget about physical activities, tempering and bathing habits.