Preparing qualified doctors is one of the most important areas of implementing state programs and national projects in the Russian Federation [1].

Transformation of the society is accompanied by modernization of higher education, whereas modern conditions place high demands on future medical professionals, their education, health and intellectual capabilities. Having entered a higher educational institution, a student, who was at school yesterday, comes across numerous challenges, both objective, and subjective, and finds himself/herself in a new social, psychophysiological, domestic and climatic environment [2].

According to Repyova NG, the initial training period at a higher educational institution is associated with social changes, breakage of previous stereotypes, stressful situations, high anxiety and internal stress [3].

It is a difficult stage in the life of a person, when not only physical, but also mental health is finally formed, needs, motivation and personality of a future doctor are created, affecting the rest of the life. So, a higher institution is interested in the formation of a favorable educational and pedagogical environment, preservation and strengthening of students’ health, improvement of education and quality of knowledge, and, thus, prevention of being expelled from the University.

Many professionals consider the educational and pedagogical process of a higher educational institution as a factor aimed at making students independent, and as an active creative adjustment of students to the conditions found at a higher educational institution, including the ones used while solving difficult situations, and development of moral and personal qualities. However, adaptation of students at a higher educational institution is normally a problematic aspect of higher education. Attention is mostly paid to the educational process, whereas social issues and well-being of students are given less attention [2–4].

The issues of adaptation of young people to the educational and pedagogical environment are especially essential while preparing future healthcare professionals. The level of professional preparation and, thus, quality of rendered medical services depend on the way a young doctor or pharmacist is prepared. Soviet experience is especially illustrative in this regard, when massive training of medical personnel allowed to solve the problem of bad medical aid in the rural areas [5].

Thus, at present, it is necessary to create universal conditions for full personal and subjective development of medical professionals, when skills and abilities of the organization of mental activity and calling to the selected profession are being formed. As social and psychological factors that include the need in adaptation to novel social conditions belong to an essential adaptation factor for the first-year students, social and psychological service of a medical institution can provide direct assistance to them [6]. It testifies to a necessary examination of the need of those studying at a medical university in the formation of a comfortable social and psychological environment. It is done to reveal and solve the students’ problems that influence the quality of education and to create proper conditions for the preparation of future medical professionals.

The purpose of the research is to examine the interest of the students of the YSMU in the face of the University-based social and psychological service development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was conducted to examine the interest of students in the social and psychological service formation and development. The research was participated by 863 students from the YSMU aged 17 to 29 with the mean age of 22.63±1.58 years (660 young women, 203 young men). The survey was conducted using a special questionnaire. Its questions were intended to discover the interests of students in the formation and functioning of the social and psychological service. The students had to answer 11 questions.

1. Did you have any difficulties in learning in your 1^st year of studying?
2. Did you have any trouble with communication in your 1^st year of studying?
3. Did you have any trouble with passing your exams in your 1^st year of studying?
4. Did you come across any adaptation difficulties in your 1^st year of studying?
5. Did you have signs of severe stress in your 1^st year of studying?
6. Have you asked yourself why you have entered the University?
7. Do you consider yourself an anxious and nervous person?
8. Did you have a wish to ask for help and (or) social support in case of difficulties in the 1^st year of studying?
9. Do you think there should be a social and psychological service at the YSMU?
10. Do you need social and psychological aid?
11. Are there students who, in your opinion, require mental aid and (or) social support while studying at the University?

The level of interest in various social and psychological needs has been examined. Students were offered to select one of the following options such as ‘yes’, ‘rather yes than no’, ‘no’, ‘rather no than yes’.

RESEAERCH RESULTS

It should be noted that 40.8% (352 people), 25.7% (222 people) and 32.6% (281 people) came across difficulties in learning, adaptation, had severe stress in the 1^st year of studying, respectively; 25.6% (221 people) thought that their entry into the medical University was accidental. These students provided a positive answer (‘yes’) to these questions.

Percentage of students who rather agree with these questions is also significant. Their response was ‘rather yes than no’. They included 32.1% (277 people), 26.1% (225 people) and 19.4% (167 people) who had difficulties in learning, adaptation, and had severe stress in the 1^st year of studying, respectively; 15.9% (137 people) thought that their entry into the medical University was accidental.

The conducted survey confirms that entry into the medical university and the first year of study are associated with the difficulties that occur while shifting to a new educational environment.

The survey has shown that 30.6% (264 people) believe that they require social and psychological aid, 35.0% (302 people) say it’s ‘rather yes than no’.

It should be noted that 62.6% (540 people) responded ‘yes’ and 27.5% (237 people) responded ‘rather yes than no’ when answering the question whether some students require psychological aid and (or) social support during their education at the University.

So, while answering the question whether a medical university should have a social and psychological service, 56.0% (484 people) believe that it’s ‘yes’, 32.7% (282 people) think that it’s ‘rather yes than no’.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Analysis of the survey results provided by the medical students has shown that the students are interested in the development of social and psychological aid and support. Adaptation of first-year students is particularly relevant, as studying in the first year is just adaptation to the conditions and organization of the educational process, development of independence, discipline, and communication skills (table).

Thus, Center for Social and Psychological Support of Students has been organized in 2022–2023 at the Yaroslavl State Medical University to provide for urgent and direct support to the students who come across crisis and conflict situations, have social difficulties, difficulties in learning and mastering new material.

Basic objectives of the Center are to display cooperation in adaptation to educational activity of the first-year students and create conditions for positive socialization of the students.

As almost half of the students who participated in the survey (51%) mentioned mental problems and severe stress, provision of social and psychological consultation and complex social and psychological support to students was an important focus area for the Center. Its professionals provide timely psychological aid (psychological diagnostics and consultation) based on the students’ requests, render social aid and support. Specialists from the Center pay significant attention to ethical issues, which is extremely important in the subsequent work of future medical students [7].

Psychological correction, development of positive communication skills and no-conflict behavior are aimed at creation of the favorable social and psychological environment and prevention of dismissal of students due to the social and psychological disadaptation.

Such basic problems as conflicts within a group, anxiety, and stress have been found among students, especially during exams, as well as domestic problems.

The problems are solved in basic diagnostic and awareness raising areas.

Individual counselling is provided at the students’ requests within the first area. Specialists from the Center practice a person-centered approach, which is aimed at complete mental and personal development of a student. Diagnostic analysis is done, internal problems of a student are detected, health is estimated, and interaction with the environment is analyzed. Contact individual professional-student collaboration allows to define a priority (key) issue and decide how to deal with it.

Specialists of the Center provided practical aid in case of difficulties in learning and while building interpersonal relations within a group, while having psychological problems, in anxiety and negative emotional conditions, conflicts within a family and a group.

The need in the formation of social and psychological service at the University is confirmed by the obtained results. The students who were on the verge of expulsion changed their attitude to the educational process, were motivated for the subsequent study at a medical University, and none of the involved students were expelled.

Awareness raising work of the Center includes various forms of working in groups. It means organization of conferences, round tables, master classes in social and psychological support of students. Subsequent development requires training in communication, group cohesion, self-determination, development of leadership, tolerance, etc.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, educational quality of medical students depends on their social and psychological well-being. So, formation of the social and psychological support service at a higher educational institution is considered as an essential part of the educational process. Need in this aid is confirmed by the survey data. Provision of practical aid to students, social and mental health support, prevention of social disadaptation belong to the main challenges. They are solved in participation of specialists from the Center of Social and Psychological Support of the YSMU.

Close cooperation with the training department and the entire pedagogical group will enable to decide the basic objective faced by the medical university and associated with the provision of modern qualitative medical, pharmaceutical, psychological and social education.