The reforms of national science will offer a powerful incentive to develop the Turkmen medical science and national healthcare system within the next few years. In accordance with the special Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan the medical postgraduate schools are to be opened at the Turkmen State Medical Institute and the national leading research and clinic centres that will give medical practitioners from all over the country the opportunity to enlarge their professional knowledge and to improve their qualification. The fact of including the provisions on medical postgraduate studies into the documents aimed at reforming and intensifying the research activity in the country testifies to the Turkmen leader’s concern for training highly qualified medical workers called upon to bring national science up to the world standards.

The medical postgraduate schools as an effective means of training highly qualified specialists serve as a solid foundation for training future scientists providing the opportunities to study advanced achievements of medical science, to acquire the modern diagnostic techniques, treatment methods, therapeutic approaches, to learn to use up-to-date diagnostic and medical equipment and to get involved in the research activity of the research departments and institutions.

The medical postgraduate schools offer the two-year off-the-job training in accordance with an individual plan of theoretical and practical professional training. Professors, associate professors, well-experienced teachers of the institutions of higher education and specialists of the national research institutions will be involved in delivering the lectures and seminars to postgraduate residents.

The curriculum includes the courses of lectures on the special fundamental and allied disciplines, clinics, seminars and doctor's rounds and provides for participation in the workshops and conferences.

This year, 27 attending medical doctors will be admitted to the Turkmen State Medical Institute and 2 resident doctors will be admitted to the Oncology Research and Clinic Centre and the Cardiology Research and Clinic Centre and the Maternity and Child Care Centre and the S. Karanov Eye Centre. Students will be admitted to the medical postgraduate schools on a competitive basis among the best graduates of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and medical practitioners of the age of under 35, who have at least three-year professional experience. The Provisions stipulate for training foreign citizens on a contractual basis. Upon completing the studies the postgraduates will receive the standard certificates.