Autonomy-oriented approach as a methodological framework for a health-preserving type of medical university teachers’ professional development

Introduction. Within the context of health-preserving system of higher medical education, the need for a relevant methodological framework for implementation of a health-preserving type of medical university teachers’ professional development increases. The purpose of the article is to explore the potential of the autonomy-oriented approach as a methodological framework for implementation of a health-preserving type of medical university teachers’ advanced training. Materials and Methods. Analysis of domestic and foreign psychological and pedagogical literature on organisation of a health-preserving type of teachers’ training in the system of continuing professional education has been carried out. The study problem required a more detailed exploration of R. Ryan & E. Deci’s self-determination theory, as well as the concepts of personal autonomy and autonomous motivation. In the framework of self-determination theory, the autonomy-oriented approach has been explored as methodological framework for implementation of a health-preserving type of advanced training, which prioritises teachers’ autonomous motivation, personal involvement into the advanced training process as well as their personal responsibility for its results. Results. Internal and external factors facilitating successful implementation of a health-preserving type of university teachers’ advanced training have been revealed. The expedience of using the autonomy-oriented approach as methodological framework for development and implementation of health-preserving advanced training programmes for university teachers has been theoretically justified and demonstrated using the example of the university teachers’ personal and professional development system implemented at Prof. V. F. Conclusions. The conducted research makes it possible to draw the conclusion that application of the autonomy-oriented approach to advanced training for medical university teachers contributes to teachers’ emotional health improvement, allowing for implementation of health-preserving technologies and providing transition from sporadic externally-organised advanced training for teachers to their self-determined continuous personal and professional development.