BSMU delegation in Cape Town: a new vector for international cooperation in urology and medical education

Clinic specialists and university leadership discussed innovations in training and clinical practice with South African colleagues.

As part of developing international partnerships and exchanging best practices, a delegation from Bashkir State Medical University visited the Republic of South Africa. The visit, organized at the invitation of the South African Urological Association, focused on key issues of postgraduate education and modern clinical technologies in urology.

The delegation included university representatives and practicing surgeons from the BSMU Clinic:

• Veronika Evgenyevna Izosimova, Vice‑Rector for Academic Affairs;

• Anushavan Oganesovich Papoyan, Head of the Urology Department at the BSMU Clinic;

• Anton Sergeevich Deneyko, Head of the Operating Unit at the Clinic, urologist;

• Olalekan Samuel Akinyeemi, Assistant at the Department of Urology and Oncology.

The centrepiece of the trip was participation in the SAUrology Education Masterclass (SAUREM) — a unique educational program for urology residents aimed at in‑depth exam preparation and practical skills training. Russian specialists were able to study in detail the structure and methodology of postgraduate medical training in South Africa, which is of significant interest for improving BSMU’s own educational program.

Particular attention was paid to getting acquainted with the material and technical facilities of leading medical universities in the Southern Hemisphere. The delegation visited clinical and simulation centres:

• University of Cape Town: Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the famous Groote Schuur Hospital, where the world’s first heart transplant was performed in 1967;

• Stellenbosch University: Tygerberg Hospital.

Visiting leading medical centers allowed our specialists to see modern equipment in action, the organization of surgical workflows, and the implementation of simulation‑based training in clinical practice.

During the visit, productive meetings were held with key figures in global urology, including Professors Andre van der Merwe, John Lazarus, Dr Karlheinz Jehle, and other specialists. Discussions covered opportunities for joint research projects, academic exchanges, and holding teleconferences to share.