[50 years' of continuing medical education in Sarajevo].

This year it has been 50 years since the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo was founded. Half a century in existence of a scientific and educational institution represents a period which is sufficient to make a serious retrospective, but also to make a serious analysis and projections for the future. Medical Faculty in Sarajevo was therefore been opened in 1944. There were students in the first generation, who completed the educational process from the first year program of studies. Due to circumstances of war this process at the Faculty was interrupted. On November 16, 1946. Medical Faculty in Sarajevo was reopened and since then it has been continuously working for 50 years, maintaining its educational, scientific and health activities. Former departments of the General Hospital in Sarajevo have grown into its clinical departments and during the period between 1947 until 1952, the majority of its institutes have been already constructed. The development of some of the clinics was however a little bit slower. Within the educational process we can separate four stages in the development of the Faculty; period from 1954 which has been characterized by a classical middle-european educational plan and program; from 1954-1956, the so-called "block system" of monocourse educational process; in the period 1956-1990, a five years study curriculum has been promoted with attempts to reform the educational process; from 1990 until today, the six-years study curriculum has been introduced, being in accordance with the plans and programs of European educational institutions. There were 14,000 students who have throughout this period been enrolled in Medical Faculty in Sarajevo, and 6575 have successfully completed their academic curriculum and obtained the title doctor of medicine. The Faculty has also preserved the continuity of its work under the circumstances of aggression and blockade of Sarajevo. Educational process was maintained without interruptions applying the methods adapted for the circumstances of war, which nevertheless assume full study plans and programs. The results of this work were 164 graduated doctors of medicine, 21 masters of medical sciences, and 17 successfully defended doctoral theses. The Faculty is presently involved in reralization of 15 scientific-research projects with a dominant war-related issues investigates. The Faculty organized or sponsored 9 scientific meetings. The contribution of its professors and assistants, but also of its students was invaluable in this war, some of whom have sacrificed their lives, and some of whom were seriously wounded and remained disabled in their strive to maintain the principles and ethics of their profession.