Personality development of medical university students in the process of studying the course Delicious Chemistry

Abstract

Today a mentor is more a friend than a teacher. Students of the new generation do not accept the classical canons of teaching and require the material to be delivered in a new format that is familiar to them, which is just possible to implement through mentoring. Having a high level of communication, the mentor helps students achieve their goals and build the learning process in a convenient way that will optimally fit into their rhythm of life — this will enable students to acquire the experience necessary for the future profession. The Department of Fundamental and Clinical Biochemistry at Kuban State Medical University has the Biochemistry Student Scientific Society (the BSSS), which serves as a forum for implementing a mentoring system through various activities. One of such activities is the Delicious Chemistry course about the basics of nutritionology. Its main task is to organize preventive master classes for students. The material of the master classes overlaps with the basic course of biochemistry and serves as additional practical training for consolidating knowledge. Master classes are held monthly by both the head of the BSSS, who is a certified practicing nutritionist, and students of the society. The students also undergo periodic training in this field, learning to calculate the diet, as well as understand vitamin complexes and dietary supplements. For example, in a master class on the topic ‘Lipids’, the students prepared a theory-based presentation with a detailed analysis of omega-3, 6 and 9 supplements available in the city pharmacies. The master class also included the nutritionist’s consultation on the use of these supplements with recommendations for the participants. The practical part of the master class involved cooking dishes that contained useful lipids and higher fatty polyunsaturated acids — the students prepared the dishes independently under the guidance of mentors, calculating the calorie content of the entire dish and the recommended individual portion. The master classes are held in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, which makes them even more attractive for the younger generation. The classes not only encourage the study and consolidation of chemistry material, but also develop the students’ personality through socialization and interaction with the surrounding social environment.