Kucherenko I. The formation of informational competence of future pharmacists by means of distance learning

The thesis was first to theoretically justify, develop and experimentally test the formation of informational competence of students of medical and pharmacy specialties by means of distance learning (DL) on the basis of complex scientific analysis of the educational process in Higher Medical Educational Institutions. We have analyzed the state of research of the issues of creating an informational educational space of national and foreign Higher Medical Educational Institutions, the use of distance learning means in the educational process of professional training provided to Masters of Medicine and Pharmacy “Healthcare” 226. “Pharmacy” (level 2 (Master)) in studying information disciplines and preparing for the licensing integrated examination KROK and the Unified State Component Examination. The results of the study revealed an urgent need for distance learning means in the process of studying disciplines of the informational cycle on pharmacy faculties of Higher Medical Educational Institutions and, consequently, methodologies of their complex implementation in professional training of future specialists of the pharmacy sector of Ukraine’s Healthcare have been developed. We have justified the use of distance learning means in the educational process of Higher Medical Educational Institutions, which allowed for a substantial enhancement of modern methods of teaching information technologies and computer modeling in pharmacy. We have proved the expediency of distance learning means as a factor in boosting the effectiveness of teaching information technologies and computer modeling to pharmacy students of Higher Medical Educational Institutions. Firstly, it lies in the modernization of the training process of future specialists in regard to the educational process software; secondly, in the career-oriented content of educational electronic courses on the disciplines; thirdly, in the integration of career-oriented informational systems into the informational and educational environment of Higher Medical Educational Institutions in the process of mastering information technologies, computer modeling, etc. We have discovered that the use of distance learning means by pharmacy students of Higher Medical Educational Institutions in studying disciplines of the informational cycle and preparing for the Licensing Integrated Examination KROK ensures optimal conditions for the formation of informational competence as well as the application of acquired abilities, skills and modes of action in future professional activity. We have provided ample evidence to the effect that these factors determine the informational component of future Masters of pharmacy in informational technologies and computer modeling characterized by the ability to use information technologies and distance learning elements.