Andrey Korchevskiy from Chemistry & Industrial Hygiene, Inc., traveled to Ukraine November 29–December 7, 2015, to teach “Asbestos Health Risk Assessment: Theory and Applications of Toxicological Modeling” for the students of Ternopol State Medical University. The course was supported by an SOT International ToxScholar grant and included an up-to-date review of asbestos toxicity, health effects, and dose-response models to evaluate risks on population and individual levels.
Dr. Korchevskiy gave a course in asbestos health risk assessment.
Asbestos health risk assessment knowledge is especially important for Ukraine where utilization of asbestos still is not banned and where urgent steps are expected for future harmonization of local standards with European legislation and requirements of occupational hygiene and environmental protection.
Medical students learned about the dangers of asbestos, which is not banned.
A large number of students attended the course.
More than 250 students were present during the 3-hour course on December 2. Presented in Russian, this was part of the mandatory course in industrial hygiene for senior level medical students. On December 3, a workshop on exposure and risk calculation was given to a smaller audience of approximately 30 students and faculty. In addition, Dr. Korchevskiy had the opportunity to tell the audience about the importance of toxicological professions and the priorities for the Society of Toxicology.
Dr. Korchevskiy also met with Dr. Michael Kordi, the rector of the university, to discuss potential future collaboration with this large and important regional institution. Ternopol State Medical University has an enrollment of 4,063 students, including 1,200 foreign students from 62 countries.
The SOT International ToxScholar program supports travel of SOT members to developing nations to expand awareness of toxicology and promote toxicology careers through the interaction of toxicologists with undergraduate and graduate students. The next application deadline is October 9, 2016.