Ukrainian experience of the Internet and ICTs usage in the process of future physicians training at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University

Ukraine is making a remarkable effort to match the current global educational tendencies. New technologies and the Internet are being implemented in all spheres of educational activity, including higher medical education. However, despite the proved importance of the Internet and ICTs implementation in learning, there is a gap in understanding the students' interests as well as the current state of Web-technologies usage in studying. In order to determine the experience of ICTs usage for learning purposes by medical students and highlight the present problems of e-learning development in Ukraine, the study was carried out at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University. The survey involved 139 medical students of first through sixth year of study within three specialties, namely: general medicine, pediatrics, medical and prophylactic care. The results of the survey show that Internet and its technologies are mainly used as the accessory means of study. Medical students search, overview and learn a dditional information including professionally-oriented one (83%, 116/139). Taking into account a high level of trust (7.6/10) to the Internet and the tendency of the students to discuss information from Internet with their colleagues (96%, 134/139) rather than professionals (65%, 90/139) the following situation could have negative consequences in their future professional activity due to the possible presence of incorrect information in such resources. Students’ interest in the usage of different Internet sources for additional learning material forms the background and stimulus for the faculty to provide the possibility of using these resources in the process of study. The primary educational tasks promoting the e-learning development in Ukraine might be the selection, recommendation and development of highly-qualitative Internet sources and materials, as well as the usage of institutional web-sites and social media pages for teaching and learning purposes.