The document provides an initial assessment report for a new Master's program in Public Health at State University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Nicolae Testemitanu" in Moldova. It summarizes the development of the 2-year curriculum across 3 specializations. It also outlines the program structure, objectives, competencies, resources, management, and evaluation plans. The report indicates the curriculum has been developed and approved at the university and ministry levels in Moldova.

1. State University of Medicine and Pharmacy
“Nicolae Testemitanu”

2. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Status quo report
 2 years Master program Curricula is developed
 3 Master programs in Public Health (in epidemiology, hygiene
and microbiology) will be implemented
Master program Curriculum
Components of the plan Hours
Year Credits
of studies Direct contact Individual work
General modules 1 1080 565 80
Special modules 2 565 1080 80
Master thesis 1-2 200 400 20
Total 1845 2045 180

3. Initial assessment of the Master Program
List of objectives of the MA
 Basis of legislation in the field of state surveillance of public health
 Biostatistics
 Informational systems in public health
 Health promotion and education
 Basis of medical microbiology
 Infectious diseases
 Bases of epidemiological surveillance in communicable and non- communicable diseases
 Management and economy in health system
 Elaboration of research / development projects
 Management of public health risks, emergencies, and disasters
 Environmental health surveillance
 Children and youth health
 Radioprotection and nuclear security
 Nutrition and food safety
 Occupational health
 Special microbiology
 Surveillance and control of communicable diseases

4. Initial assessment of the Master Program
List of competencies to be achieved by graduates of the MA
Epidemiology
 Legislative acts, national programs for communicable disease combating
and preventing
 Organization and functioning of the infectious diseases surveillance and
control system
 Epidemiological investigation of infectious diseases foci and outbreaks
 Planning activities to reduce the impact of infectious diseases on public
health, including in emergencies
 Evaluation of the efficiency and quality of infectious diseases control and
prevention measures
 Implementation of IHR (2005)

5. Initial assessment of the Master Program
List of competencies to be achieved by graduates of the MA
Hygiene
 Surveillance and control of non-communicable diseases
 Population’s health determinants
 Elaboration and implementation of national and regional plans on health
related to the environment
 Children and youth health surveillance
 International and national legislation in radioprotection and nuclear security
 Evaluation of risk factors in occupational and residential environment
 Health promotion and Diseases prevention
 Elaboration and implementation of nutritional programs related to different
groups of population

6. Initial assessment of the Master Program
List of competencies to be achieved by graduates of the MA
Special microbiology
 Legislation regulating the activity of laboratories network of the
Public Health System
 Methods of investigation: bacterioscopical, bacteriological,
virological, serological, allergic, molecular biology
 Formulating the results and way of notification
 Biosafety in microbiological laboratory. Biosecurity

7. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Target-groups for recruitment
 Graduates of the faculty of Medicine of the SUMPh
“Nicolae Testemitanu”, specialty “Public Health”, 35-40
people each year
Accreditation documents and approvals necessary
 Reviewed curriculum (by 2 experts) are examined at:
 Profile Commission (Faculty level)
 Methodical Central Council (University level)
 Approved by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education

8. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Decision of the University to start the MA
 Rector’s Ordinance nr.57/1-A of 14.09.2011 on
implementation of the project and organizing a working
group.
 After approval of the Master Program by the Ministry of
Education it will be issued a Rector’s Ordinance of
program implementation, starting with 01.10.2012.

9. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Academic person in charge of the MA
 Faculties from the following departments:
 Epidemiology
 Hygiene
 Social Medicine and Public Health
 Microbiology
 Economics, management and psycho-pedagogy in medicine
 National center for Public Health
 Republican Center of Calamities’ Medicine
 Representatives of the Ministry of Health and SUMPh international
partners (selective courses).

10. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Administrative person in charge of the MA
 School of Management in Public Health of the SUMPh
“Nicolae Testemitanu” (Director prof. Dr. Oleg Lozan)
The school was founded within the project “Developing Public
Health capacities in the Republic of Moldova” financed by Soros-
Moldova Foundation in 2003.
Since 2007 School of Management in Public Health is a member of
the Association of Schools of Public Health in European Region
(ASPHER)

11. Initial assessment of the Master Program
Assessment of existing infrastructure resources for the MA
 Study rooms at the School of Management in Public Health, at the
University departments, at National and Municipal (Chisinau)
Centers for Public Health
 Currently at the department of Hygiene is being prepared for
opening an Informational Center equipped by the TEMPUS project
and furnished by the SUMPh.
Assessment of existing teaching human resources for the MA
 Faculties from the mentioned University departments and
institutions will be selected according their background and
experience in training.

12. Status quo report
List of existing Master programs at our University
 Currently there is only one Master Program: Public Health
Management
Goal:
Training public health professionals with skills for leadership
activity in the health system, aimed for management of health
care services, in-line to National and international standards,
coordinating and implementing public health programs.
Analysis of the existing national legislation
 Law of Education nr. 574 from 21.07.1995 (Chapter II: “Systems of
Education”, Article 28 “Master education”)
 Law regarding state surveillance of public health nr. 10 from 03.02.2009

13. Status quo report
Curricula of existing MA
 Duration of studies is 2 years, including 10 sessions of full-
time training, intensive courses - 1080 hours, distance PC
based learning, and individual work - 2600 hours -120 credits.
 The program includes courses determined by the health
system needs, including:
 Managerial Psychology, Biostatistics, Communication in PH, Basis of
Legislation in PH, Management of primary health care, Emergency,
Hospital services, Management of pharmaceutical, Stomatological,
Rehabilitation services.

14. Status quo report
Internal regulations of the University regarding MA programs
 Chart of the SUMP “Nicolae Testemitanu” approved by the
University Senate in 2010.
Analysis of the political framework
 National Public Health Policy of the Republic of Moldova for
2007-2021
Analysis of existing resources in the university
 School of Management in Public Health has study rooms, an
informational center, a library and can use necessary resources
of the SUMPh.
 Courses are given by SUMPh faculties, specialists from the
Public Health system, international experts, reprezentatives of
international organizations (WHO, UNICEF, etc.)

15. Curricula characteristics
Curricula and syllabus of all courses developed
 33 courses have been approved
Methods of teaching used in each course
 Lectures
 Seminars and interactive practical works
 Practical training
 PC based distance learning
Evaluation methods:
 Written examination
 Oral presentation (business plan, project)
 Assisted evaluation on PC
 Final examination
 Defending of Master thesis

16. Curricula characteristics
Grading scheme to be used
Grading system: 1-10 points
pass – fail
Number of ECTS per course
 Fundamental courses – 30
 Specialty courses – 50
 Practical training – 10
 Master thesis – 30
Totally – 120

17. Students of the new Master Program
Entrance requirements
 Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine, specialty “Public Health”.
Selection criteria for new students
 Number of points accumulated depending on grades during
undergraduate studies and attributive coefficients:
 Overall average grade x 0,3
 Grade in profile subject x 0,3
 Grade of the diploma thesis x 0,2
 Grade of the final examination x 0,2

18. Students of the new Master Program
Potential career paths on the labor market for graduates
 Public Health Centers (national, municipal, district) of the Ministry of Health
 Departmental Public Health Centers (of the Ministry of Defense, Internal Affairs,
Transports and Communications etc.)
 Private laboratories and institutions
 PhD programs
 Research and educational medical institutions
System of student evaluation of the courses
 Grading scale: 1-10 points
pass – fail
 Forms of evaluation:
 Tests (paper, PC, on-line)
 Exams (written, oral)
 Defending the Master Thesis

19. ICT
Installed ICT resources
 Informational Center at the School of Management in Public Health
 Informational Center organized within current Master Program,
integrated with informational network of Public Health System (with
access to information and data for educational process)
 University Center for distance learning via video-conferences (real time)
Project website
 http://usmf.md/index.php?page=proiectul-tempus-programe-de-
masterat-in-sanatate-publica-si-servicii-sociale
Web page of the School of Management in Public Health
 www.public-health.md

20. Cooperation with TEMPUS Partners
List of professors from other TEMPUS partners to teach at the
MA
 TEMPUS Partners from:
 State University of Moldova
 Romania
 Great Britain
 After the end of the Project we plan to be in touch with all Project partners.
Student mobility plan involving the other TEMPUS partners
 We will plan students’ mobility within the framework of cooperation agreements
between the University, the School of Management in Public Health and
medical, public health, and educational institutions from: Romania, France,
Germany, Israel, Poland etc.

21. Training the trainers course – UK
Partner report
 Information about the contents of the master's degree programs in Public
Health and Social Services at the University of Cumbria.
 Elaboration, approval and implementation of a module in the field of Public
Health at the University of Cumbria.
Analysis of acquired knowledge
 Public Health and Health Protection system in the UK
 Undergraduate and postgraduate training of specialists in Public Health
 Types of master's degrees which exist in UK
 The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
 Criteria of evaluation of the developed courses
 Methods of teaching of students and student mobility programs
 New technologies used in the training process
 Collaboration between School of Public Health and national / international Public
Health stakeholders
 New EU policies in the field of Public Health and Social Service

22. Training the trainers course – UK
Analysis of acquired skills
 Ability to elaborate a master degree program in Public Health
 Implementation of ECTS in Master’s Program
Plan to include training results in the MA
 The structure of the Master Program in Public Health from University of
Cumbria was used in elaborating of similar Curricula at our University

23. Training the trainers course – Sweden
Partner report
 Information about education system in Sweden, its structure and functionality
 Legislation, polices and procedures
 Problems of education and employment
Analysis of acquired knowledge
 Acquired knowledge about
 master's degrees which exist in Sweden,
 the credit system in higher education, international mobility of the students,
 new technology in communication,
 teaching and learning
could be used for developing similar activities within Master Program
Analysis of acquired skills
 Adjustment of acquired skills in communication and teaching to developed Master
Program
 Implementation of elements of on-line Education
Plan to include training results in the MA
 A new module “Informational technologies in Public health“ was elaborated and
recommended for Master program