Emese Ibolya
Improving Medical School Curricula and Roma Access to Health Care in
Hungary
Final Activity Report
For Second Half of the Fellowship
The aim of conducting this research was to examine cross-cultural
contents in medical school curricula in Hungary. My main focus was on
the sensitization of future medical personnel for communication and
cooperation with the Roma minority in the interest of better access for
them to quality health care services. In the light of my original
project plans, there were no major changes in the implementation of my
research for the second half of my fellowship.
During this period of time I realized the following activities:
I analyzed health care policies relevant to my research topic and
collected data from medical school teachers and students through in
depth interviews and focus group discussions. The aim of data
collection was to reveal attitudes and the value system of teachers and
students towards cross-cultural studies and the Roma; moreover, to gain
insight the ‘culture’ of medical education in Hungary.
In order to have sufficient information on the international dimension
of education policy for borrowing successful models from other
countries I also attended a course. It took place between September and
December, 2005 on international education policy studies hosted by
Columbia University in New York. It was a distance course including a
one-week seminar taking place in New York at the end of October.
In the upcoming months I continued collecting data and consulted
several research materials, reports and surveys conducted on the given
topic ; moreover, analyzed curricula of medical schools. I also
conducted interviews with government officials in the areas of health
care and Roma inclusion. As soon as I finished data collection, I
analyzed the given data then I evaluated my findings. After the
evaluation process I finished my policy paper and research paper and
published them on my website for dissemination.
As for further advocating my findings, during the second part of my
fellowship I remained in continuos contact with and informed on my
results the monitoring body and director of the Roma Integration
Directorate of the Government Office for Equal Opportunities in
Hungary, representatives of the Public Health Program of the Hungarian
Soros Foundation, experts of the National Institute of Public Health,
Roma and non-Roma NGOs operating in health care, Roma self-governments
throughout the country and teachers at medical schools.
I plan to publish my research and policy study in a booklet for the
above mentioned target group and will distribute it among such
professional audiences.
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