Department of Internal Medicine № 2

Address: vul. Klinichna,1, Ternopil, 46002

Tel:(+380352) 273377

Staff:  1 professor, 5 associate professors, 2 assistant professors, 1 senior secretary

Chief of the Department – Prof. S.I. Smiyan, D.Sc

The Department of Internal Medicine № 2 is based in the rheumatologic department of Ternopil University Hospital and in the department of emergent therapeutic states of Ternopil City Municipal Emergency Hospital.

The Department of Internal Medicine № 2 was founded on the 1st June, 2009 by reorganization of the former Department of Internal Medicine. Department staff is a friendly, almost family setting. All its members graduated from Alma Mater with honors. They perfectly communicate in English and Russian languages besides Ukrainian. They have a unique possibility to implement themselves both in scientific and in professional fields and to get a friendly support from their colleagues if necessary.

History. The students of the fifth and sixth courses studied internal medicine at the Department of Hospital Therapy since Ternopil State Medical Institute had been established in 1957. Prof. A.G. Lepyavko was the founder and the first head of  that department since 1959. He was the disciple of the famous rheumatologist  and scientist Academician M.O. Yasynovskyy. Studies of pathogenetic neuroendocrine mechanisms of hepatobiliary system inflammatory lesions and the impacts of focal chronic infection on the development of endemic goiter as marginal pathology were the main research trends of the department staff. From 1979 till 1995 Prof. I.H. Myahkov was the head of the department. At that time the scientific and research work of the department was mainly focused on cardiology problems study. From June 1995 till 2006 Prof. P.P. Kuziv was the Head of the Department of Hospital Therapy No.1. A thorough study of the method of fasting diet therapy in case of the internal organs pathology was held under his leadership. In 1997 by order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine the Department of Hospital Therapy №2 was established.  It was headed by a Honored Worker of Science of Ukraine Prof. S.I. Smiyan. Department staff under of her leadership devoted their research to rheumatologic pathology, study of secondary osteoporosis problems in the internal diseases clinic and the development of differentiated approaches to treatment and prevention of dysmetabolic and osteopenic syndrome.

After the establishment of Foreign Students Faculty on June 1, 2009 the Department of Internal Medicine №2, headed by Prof. S.I. Smiyan, was included into it. It absorbed the best educational and scientific traditions of predecessors.

Staff of the Department of Internal Medicine №2

The Head of the department Svitlana Ivanivna Smiyan  is the Honored Worker of Science of Ukraine, Doctor of Medical Science, Professor, Doctor of higher category in Rheumatology and Therapy. She is an author of 273 articles, 2 monographs, 2 manuals, 2 methodical recommendations, 5 patents, 6 informative letters. She has specialization in ultrasound diagnostics, clinical thermodiagnostics and x-ray densitometry.  Her full work experience as a rheumatologist is 22 years.  Under the supervision of Prof. S.I. Smiyan 4 doctor dissertations - in Gastroenterology (Prof. Babinec' L.S.), Nephrology (Prof. Martynyuk L.P.), Haematology (Prof. Zhulkevych I.V.), Rheumatology (Prof. Masyk O.M.) and 12 dissertations in Internal Diseases and Rheumatology for obtaining of Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences) were defended.

A Director of Studies of the department is Assistant Professor Slaba Ulyana Stepanivna. She is Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences), Doctor of higher category in Therapy, first category in Rheumatology. The Assistant Professor started her career from practical medicine and after the clinical residency and post-graduate studies, supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) on “Pathogenetic substantiation of enterosorption and cytoprotection for the prevention and treatment of gastropathies in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis”. She is an author of 58 articles, including one patent. Her full work experience is 21 years, as a rheumatologist it is 15 years.

Associate Professor Roman Rostyslavovych Komorovskyy is Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences), Doctor of higher category in Cardiology, a member of the European Association for Echocardiography.  In 2002 he supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) on “Right ventricular functional, interventricular interaction, and their correction with Captopril in patients with acute myocardial infarction of different site”. For 2002-2005 he worked on probation in Cardiology and Echocardiography in clinics of France, Italy and Austria. He is an author of over 70 articles. His sphere of interests is in general Cardiology and Echocardiography. Among scientific interests there are intercommunications between coronal and carotid atherosclerosis, specification of cardiovascular risk for the patients suffering from rheumatoid type. He speaks the English, French, Italian, German, Polish languages.

Associate Professor Larysa Petrivna Martynyuk is Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences), Doctor of higher category in Therapy and first in Endocrinology. She supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) on “Clinical efficacy of the polienzym medication Vobenzym and synthetic antioxidant Emoxipinum in complex treatment of patients with chronic pyelonephritis”. She is an author of over 100 articles, 8 in foreign editions, 1 methodical recommendations, 3 manuals, 2 text books, 1 monograph. She made reports at numerous learned societies, conferences, symposia and international congresses. The Associate Professor provides clinical work at the Endocrinology Department, makes rounds, secures consultative and emergency medical care. Her full work experience is 14 years.

Associate Professor of the department Bodnar Roksolana Yaroslavivna supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) in Cardiology on “Clinic pathogenetic support of complex therapy with Vobenzym and Candesartan for patients with acute myocardial infarction combined with hyperuricemia”. Her experience in teaching is 6 years. She is an author of 55 publications: 50 scientific and 5 of scientific-methodological subject, 8 articles, 46 works in materials of congresses and conferences, and a coauthorship of one manual among them. The Associate Professor carries out duties of medical practitioner of Cardiologic Department for patients with heart attacks. She is Doctor of first category in Therapy and Cardiology.

Associate Professor, Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences) Lepyavko Andriy Andriyovych is the author of 54 publications: 43 scientific and 11 of scientific-methodological nature – 16 articles, 1 manual (co-authorship), 37 articles in the materials of congresses and conferences. He graduated from the Master's degree program and clinical residency in Therapy. He supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) on “Age-related peculiarities of cholinergic heart regulation at adrenaline damage”. He had rotations at the University of Michigan (USA) on gerontology and internal medicine, at the University of South Carolina Upstate (USA) - on higher nursing education. His sphere of interests is in age and gender aspects of the course and treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary pathology. He provides clinical work at the Department of emergent therapeutic states of Ternopil City Municipal Emergency Hospital. His full work experience is 10 years.

An Assistant of the department Gusak Sophia Romanivna is Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences), Doctor of first category in Therapy. After graduation from the Master's degree program and clinical residency she supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) in Rheumatology on “Lipid storage disease and bone mineral density disorders in patients with primary osteoarthritis and ways of their correction». The Assistant is an author of over 30 printed articles.

Assistant of the department Lykhatska Halyna Vasylivna is Candidate of Medical Sciences (Ph.D. in medical sciences). After graduation from Master's degree program and postgraduate studies she supported thesis for a Candidate’s degree (passed Ph.D. defense) on “Structural and functional changes of liver and osseous tissue mineral density in patients with peptic ulcer and their correction”. She is an author of 56 publications, 48 of them are scientific: 19 in professional magazines, 1 manual (coauthorship), 2 informative letters, 8 of scientific-methodological subject among them. Her full work experience as therapeutist is 9 years.

Dan'chak Svitlana Volodymyrivna is a Master's Degree student and works on the scientific study under the supervision of Prof. S.I. Smiyan. She was a participant of the program of a one month internship in Szczecin (Poland). The student works on Master’s research paper on “Stratification of cardiovascular risk in patients with gout».

Senior laboratory assistant Bogutska Anastasia Anatoliivna gained honours diploma in Translation after graduation from the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Ternopil National Pedagogical University. She improved her knowledge skills in London colleges: Stanton School of English and Pimlico Academy. The assistant has international certificates of advanced level in English.

Educational activities

Internal medicine is the corner stone of clinical medicine. The teaching in the Department is for the 4th, 5th and 6th year students of the foreign Medical Faculty, it is held in English and Russian. The courses comprise general internal medicine, endocrinology, occupational medicine. The tuition is held according to the standard programs adopted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. The teaching includes clinical rounds, case-based discussions, tests of  “Step-2” type. The interesting in diagnostic plan patients are being discussed during the clinical rounds and at clinical conferences. The lectures, materials for practical classes and methodical instructions are being up-to-dated regularly. “The working journal on “Internal diseases” was edited as well as “Journal for intermediate knowledge control” for the VIth year students were edited by the staff of department in order to improve the knowledge and practical skills of the students. 

Scientific interests

         Scientific interests include rheumatology, in particular, the issues related to systemic connective tissue disorders and rheumatic diseases of joints. Currently the staff of the Department is involved in the project of study of rheological blood properties in rheumatological disorders. Another aspects of scientific research are related to secondary osteoporosis in the clinic of internal medicine, differential approaches to management and prevention of metabolic and osteopenic syndromes. The project entitled 'Role of neuro-endocrine and immune interrelations in pathogenesis of secondary osteoporosis' is being also, in part, realized in our Department. The staff of the Department is participating in the activities of the Ukrainian association of osteoporosis and Ukrainian rheumatologic association.

The scientific-consulting laboratory “Research of osteoporosis problems” has started its work at the department since 31.01.2012

Major scientific achievements

Major scientific achievements include the study of:

Metabolic disorders and their role in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

Differential approaches to the management of degenerative diseases of joints

Bone mineral density in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus eryuthematosus, hematological disorders, chronic renal failure

Prevention and management of osteoporosis

Under the tutorship of prof. S.I. Smiyan 12 theses for the C.Sc. degree and 4 theses for the D.Sc. degree were defended. Under the tutorship of prof. L.P. Martynyuk, who has worked at the department since 2009 till 2011, 1 thesis for the C.Sc. degree was defended.

The students’ research group works successfully under tutorship of assoc. prof.  A.A. Lepyavko. The members the group participate annually in the international congresses of medical students and young scientists, where they obtain the first places. Also the members of the students’ research group participate in additional educational programs “Students’ science and professional orientation” and “Student – future professional of a high level”.

Clinical activities

The clinical activities are being held in Ternopil University Hospital and Ternopil City Municipal Emergency Hospital. Novel methods of therapy are being introduced. Consultations and rheumatological visits are being provided. Postgraduate educational courses and clinical conferences are regularly organized.

Chief of department and associate professors performs the clinical rounds weekly in rheumatologic, endocrinologic and cardiologic departments of Ternopil University Hospital and in the department of emergent therapeutic states of Ternopil City Municipal Emergency Hospital. They consult patients in other medical facilities of Ternopil and Ternopil region. Assistant professors permanently treat 3-4 patients in rheumatologic and gastroenterologic departments of Ternopil University Hospital. The staff of Department of Internal Medicine № 2 regularly participates in the meetings of the Regional Board of Therapists as well as organizes the postgraduate courses for the physicians of Ternopil region.

In 2009-2011 in a medical and diagnostic process there were applied:

-        Methods of dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia and concomitant hypertension correction in patients with a gout on a background of metabolic syndrome (Smiyan S.I., Antyuk Z.O.).

-        Prognosis of coronal events risk in patients with osteoarthritis on a background of  metabolic syndrome (Smiyan S.I., Gusak S.R., Komorovskyi R.R.).

-        Diagnostics and treatment programs of second osteoporosis (Smiyan S.I., Slaba U.S., Gusak S.R., Martinyuk L.P.).

-        Comparative analysis of pleiotropic action of different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory  medicine (Smiyan S.I., Lepyavko A.A.).

-        Use of medicine Crestor for patients suffering from osteoarthritis and gout with metabolic syndrome (Smiyan S.I., Slaba U.S., Bodnar R.Y.).

In scientific work prospects of the Clinic of Internal Medicine №2 there are:

-        further study of cardiovascular risk markers, establishment of their role in development of cardiovascular events in rheumatology and working out the treatment programs;

-        development of complex estimation algorithm of cardiovascular risk for patients with the systemic diseases of connective tissue with further improvement of correction methods;

-        introduction into practice of spiral computer tomography method with the purpose of timely diagnostics of coronal vessels calcification and prevention of cardiovascular events for patients with rheumatic diseases;

-        creation of patients register who get or need treatment with biological agents and research of immunobiological therapy efficiency.