Election program
SOME REFLECTIONS …
…ON THE PAST PERIOD
Four years ago, I wrote my election program and then presented it to the academic public and received the trust of the Academic Senate of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. I tried to fulfill this trust, fully implement our program, and continue to serve the development of the faculty.
A week after submitting the program, the first lockdown of COVID-19 started, and although the spring of 2020 did not see the epidemic fully ignite in the Czech Republic, it taught us to prepare in at least some aspects for what was to come. Unfortunately, the following period was far worse and affected almost two academic years. We had to reorganize teaching, introduced nursing courses for students who decided to help, ensured a combination of especially clinical teaching with this help („Study and Help“), online teaching, tried to vaccinate clinical year students etc. COVID weakened our social life; two Medical Balls did not take place. But we learned many things, and there are many things we should not forget.
In 2022, the war in Ukraine broke out, in October 2023, a massacre occurred in the south of Israel followed by subsequent fighting in Gaza, and perhaps the least predictable was the tragic event of December 21 at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University. These mentioned events had and unfortunately still have the most precious cost, the loss of human lives, which as doctors and healthcare workers we are supposed to protect. They also bring new tasks, which were not usually part of election programs in the past. During this time, we demonstrated many abilities and determination.
However, these events have other negative consequences too. Economic problems, income stagnation with inflation, and rising energy prices. Some unfavorable trends in the allocation of resources at the university are appearing. But the faculty managed to deal with this, succeeded in at least slightly increasing salaries, increased scholarships in the current academic year, and mainly – implement and further plan new development of the faculty. For all that we have succeeded and overcome, a big thank you goes to my colleagues in the college, teaching staff, administrative employees of the faculty, and all of you.
… ON MEDICINE, ITS FUTURE, AND TEACHING AT THE MEDICAL FACULTY
The development of medicine is very rapid. It almost constantly brings new discoveries, new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, personalized medicine is expanding, the prognosis of many diseases is improving. Yet, recently in our country, the favorable trends in life expectancy have temporarily halted, and it is also uncertain how new diseases will evolve or emerge in the future. Artificial intelligence is entering medicine, and with the rapid development of this area, it is difficult to predict the future even for the generation that is just now entering universities. All this will undoubtedly be reflected in the organization of healthcare.
Demographic parameters are changing, the population in European countries is aging, and in the foreseeable future, there will be a shortage of professionals – doctors, nurses, and other non-medical professions, some of which may even just be emerging. The content of their expertise and how their professional life will change is not easy to predict. We must be aware of potential risks, but also of great opportunities, and embrace everything with determination and energy.
All this places great demands on medical higher education. We need to create an environment that is open to current possibilities and an unknown and dynamic future. In addition to knowledge and skills, we must lead students to a broad understanding of contexts, preparedness to continue studying, flexibility, sensitivity, and collegiality. The human aspect of healthcare and helping other people should never disappear.