REFUSAL TO GRANT PERMISSION FOR INTERNSHIP TRAINING IN THE FIELD OF “PHYSIOTHERAPY”

This article is dedicated primarily to students who received a higher medical education abroad and received a corresponding master's degree in physiotherapy.

Upon returning to Ukraine, citizens who obtained a higher education abroad and received a master's degree in the field of "Physiotherapy" wishing to enter an internship are refused, arguing that there are no grounds in accordance with the current legal acts, namely, that the list of specialties and the duration of internship training in accordance for the specialty received at the institution of higher education approved by the order of the Ministry of Health dated 22.06.2021 No. 1254, there is no provision for training in internships for physiotherapists.

However, if you pay attention to the list of internship training specialties according to the specialty received at the institution of higher education, it can be seen that at number 18 (specialty at the institution of higher education - medicine, pediatrics) there is a specialty for internship training - "Physical and rehabilitation medicine".
Thus, according to the logic that is the basis for the provisions set forth in the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated 22.06.2021 No. 1254, the opinion is formed that pediatricians and persons who have obtained an education in the specialty of medicine are persons who can undergo training in an internship under in the field of "Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine". But for a narrowly focused specialty, it is physical therapy and occupational therapy that is almost the most important component in the field of rehabilitation.
Whereas, the code and name of the corresponding detailed field according to the International Standard Classification of Education, which in the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 04.29.2015 No. 266, the direction "Physical therapy, occupational therapy" is indicated as "0915 - Therapy and rehabilitation".

That is, physical and rehabilitation medicine is based on occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Physical therapy, physical rehabilitation is the use of physical exercises and natural factors in the complex process of restoring health, physical condition and working capacity of patients with therapeutic and preventive purposes.

In addition, in accordance with the hierarchy of normative legal acts, the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is higher than the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as are the Laws of Ukraine and international agreements adopted by Ukraine.
Thus, it can be argued that the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1254 dated 22.06.2021 was approved not quite correctly, since the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 266 dated 29.04.2015 equated physical therapy and occupational therapy to therapy and rehabilitation, in while specialists in the field of pediatrics and the general direction of "Medicine" do not have such narrow-profile knowledge in the field of rehabilitation medicine as specialists who received education in this direction.