TEACHING CLINICAL-CHEMISTRY IN CENTRAL-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES - PAST AND PRESENT

Central Europe is traditionally referred to as the area occupied by th e former Eastern Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary . In all of these countries great emphasis is placed on teaching clini cal chemistry and biochemical pathology, both at undergraduate and pos tgraduate levels. In Czech Republic and in Poland analysis of blood, u rine, body fluids, exudates and secretions as well as the fundamentals of interpretation of morbid states in biochemical terms are taught as an independent subject taking from 60 to 90 h of lectures, seminars a nd practical training. In Hungary, the fundamentals of clinical chemis try and biochemical pathology are included in courses of biochemistry, pathology and in clinical subjects, such as internal medicine and ped iatrics. The postgraduate study of clinical biochemistry, which yields in all mid-European countries a certificate of specialisation in labo ratory diagnostics (Poland), or clinical pathology (Czech Republic, Hu ngary), is based on at least 5 years experience in laboratory medicine and then extended studies including clinical biochemistry, haematolog y, cytology, microbiology, as well as the fundamentals of toxicology a nd immunology. A basic background in clinical practice is also require d. In all countries in the area there also exists a well developed pos tgraduate education for laboratory workers without a medical backgroun d. These people can apply for a certificate in medical analytics (Pola nd), but they cannot work as clinical pathologists or laboratory diagn ostic consultants.