P4 medicine as a tool for stimulating healthy lifestyle and the basis of teaching prevention to students of general medicine and pediatrics

This article focuses on approaches to implementing the principles of P4 medicine, specifically, stimulating prevention-based thinking among students of faculties of general medicine and pediatrics. Below, we describe a pilot approach to teaching hygiene that was implemented at the Department of General Hygiene (Kazan State Medical University). Considering the gnoseological role of empathy, we designed an interactive workbook for students taking a course in Hygiene. The workbook allows the student to engage in empathic interactions and discourse about the studied subject with the teacher and peers. After the course, the students were surveyed; their degree of engagement in the learning process and their expectations were evaluated. The respondents rated their interest in Hygiene before starting the course as 5.6 and 5.7 points on the 10-point scale (for the traditional and innovative courses, respectively). During the course, the score increased to 5.8 and 8.6 points for the traditional and innovative courses, respectively. Our pilot project demonstrates the need for reviewing the strategy of teaching hygiene and prevention-related disciplines at clinical faculties and including the principles of P4 medicine in the medical curriculum, thus allowing the student to effectively perform their professional duties in primary healthcare.