Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The "Pharmaconafty" team of students from the RUDN University School of Medicine successfully competed in the All-Russian Student Online Olympiad in Pharmacology, dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the N.N. Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University. They took second place, demonstrating the high level of preparation of the university's students and the effectiveness of their intercultural interaction.
The team included students from the General Medicine program:
Al Laban Hassan, team captain, 4th year (Lebanon); Imomzoda Shahboz Nuriddin, 3rd year (Tajikistan); Ismagilova Anastasia, 3rd year (Russia); Makeenkov Mikhail, 3rd year (Russia); Kureber Valentina Sofia, 4th year (Russia).
Art that unites worlds
The Olympiad began with an unusual creative competition, "Department History – University History," where teams were challenged to create a work of art using various medicinal forms. The RUDN team's work became more than just an art object, but a profound metaphor for the university's mission.
Team captain Hassan Al Laban described the concept behind their work: "At the center of the drawing is an invisible yet powerful thread that connects two worlds: a vibrant mosaic mask on the left and the calm profile of a girl in a headscarf on the right. This thread represents Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, where students from different countries learn to speak the same language of science and mutual respect. On the left is a composite image of the world that everyone brings with them: fragments of cultures, different traditions, languages, and personalities, like multicolored geometric shapes. These parts seem disparate, but it is at RUDN that they come together to form a coherent face—the shared identity of an international student body. On the right is the face of a student who peers at this world and simultaneously reflects it. Her patterned headscarf is a symbol of roots and national culture, which everyone retains, even as part of a larger university community. Gold elements and warm tones emphasize the value of the individual and respect for the traditions of each people.
Below is the world of pharmacology and medicine: vials, tablets, ampoules, and "CHILL pills." This is not only a hint at a future profession, but also a metaphor for knowledge as a "cure" for fear, prejudice, and ignorance. At RUDN, students learn not just to heal bodies but also to carefully nurture the souls of people of different cultures, faiths, and languages. Flowers, hearts, and "student chaos" scattered throughout the page demonstrate that friendship between nations is born not at pompous rallies, but in ordinary moments: shared classes, sleepless nights before exams, over coffee, and jokes in a mixture of languages.
This drawing is like a page from a shared RUDN University diary, where every stroke is made by the hand of a person who believes that medicine and education unite more powerfully than any borders."
Express lecture and speed test
During the second stage of the competition, Hassan gave his teammates a quick lecture on "Adrenaline." The captain chose this topic due to the drug's key role in emergency medicine, as it is used to treat conditions such as anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest, and other critical situations. During the lecture, the student examined the pharmacokinetics of adrenaline in detail, explaining how it is absorbed and distributed in the body, as well as its mechanism of action. Hassan noted that he strived to convey complex aspects in the most simple and accessible language possible. The lecture was recorded on video for the jury's evaluation.
The most challenging part of the competition was the third stage—the online team test. As Hassan explained, the main challenge was the strict time limit: 30 minutes to answer 60 complex analytical questions, requiring the integration of knowledge from various areas of pharmacology and clinical medicine.
"We were able to successfully overcome this challenging stage primarily due to the well-coordinated teamwork during the preparation, which was aimed at developing not memory, but the speed of clinical thinking," said Hassan Al Laban.
Team spirit and philosophy of the subject
Participants unanimously noted that the key to victory was perfect teamwork.
Valentina Kureber shared her preparation strategy: "We purposefully divided ourselves into areas of interest, which allowed us to cover the entire pharmacology course as effectively and thoroughly as possible. Ultimately, during the test, our team worked like a well-coordinated and well-oiled machine: each participant had their own role and responsibilities."
Anastasia Ismagilova, Valentina's teammate, also noted the powerful incentive for self-study: "Some of the assignments seemed quite challenging because they covered topics we hadn't yet covered during the semester. We had to figure things out on our own and learn the material ahead. Sometimes it was difficult to grasp new topics the first time, but gradually working on each new concept helped us understand them, which allowed us to achieve a good result!"
The main unifying factor was a common philosophical conviction in the importance of the subject.
"Pharmacology is the backbone of medicine. This idea united our team, giving meaning to every stage of preparation. Our victory was the result of this very approach, where a deep understanding of the subject and team spirit were inseparable," said Hassan Al Laban.
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