Professor L. Zabulienė: “Preventive Medicine is Special, All-Encompassing and One of the Most Important Healthcare Areas”

Assoc. Prof. Lina Zabulienė, M.D., a consultant endocrinologist at Vilnius University (VU) for was named the Best Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine (MF) in 2020. Assoc. Prof. Zabulienė teaches public health specialists the secrets of internal disease prevention and coordinates the module of Preventive Medicine. She is also a member of several committees – the Committee for the Programme for the Study of Medicine and Vilnius Regional Biomedical Research Ethics Committee and the head of the Working Group for the Self-analysis of the Programme for the Study of Medicine and the Final Examination Working Group. Thanking her students and colleagues for their support and trust on receiving her award, Assoc. Prof. Zabulienė says that the trust and the support will help in her future work as a lecturer.

You are known as a hormone specialist, a creator of a universal medical prescription for happiness. How did you become interested in endocrinology?

I am lucky to have met so many experienced, knowledgeable teachers who have inspired my curiosity. When it came to the point of choosing the direction of my residency, I found myself at a crossroads again, as there were many areas I wanted to explore. My decision was determined by the seminars of endocrinologist Saulius Grigonis and my infinite desire to know the mysterious world of hormones and metabolism. Each day of my studies was like a refreshing gust of wind in spring and brought new experiences. Valuable insights of the head of the unit, S. Grigonis, and Prof. Virgilijus Šapoka sharing their interpretations of the connection between reasons and consequences enriched my knowledge and facilitated the search for clinical solutions.

Following my residency programme, I started my own clinical work. I have attended several training courses at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism in the United Kingdom. My mentor there was Processor John Wass whose openness, innovativeness, ability to share experience, communicate, inspire others and be inspired himself (and his unforgettable laughter) have left an indelible impression. This experience has expanded not only my approach to endocrinology, clinical work, communication with patients, and the importance of teamwork, but also strengthened my common human values. Each time I meet the professor he asks me: “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” This is usually the start of a pleasant conversation intermingled with the professor’s memorable laughter.

On my path to learning about hormones and in my daily work I still find many minor and major surprises. Sometimes these moments make me wonder “how I could not have known it?”. This fascinates me and inspires to move forward.

Why did you become an educator?

During my student years, the opportunity to teach at the Vilnius University with its deep-rooted traditions seemed like an unattainable dream. One day Prof. Butkus asked me if I would like to apply for the lectors positions at the Department of Therapy and I agreed without hesitation. This was the start of my pedagogical career. The following month, still a resident doctor of internal medicine, I started conducting seminars on propaedeutics of internal diseases, later on, seminars on internal disease prevention for students in the public health, paediatrics and physical therapy programmes.

After becoming an educator, I had regular support and received advice on how to make the subject I taught more interesting and attractive. I was so fortunate to work with Prof. Butkus, our strong, professional friendship lasted for more than 15 years until his death. Butkus’ lessons on life and diplomacy have remained with me to this day.

What do you like about the subject you teach?

Preventive medicine is special, all-encompassing and one of the most important healthcare areas. Today everyone – from children to older people – knows this. The aim of protecting people and society against diseases and their spread has been relevant since ancient times and was described in ancient Chinese writings, the Old Testament, and the works of Hippocrates and Galen. Nutrition, exercise, rest, abstinence and hygiene have been emphasized as the most important guarantees of good health.

Preventing diseases is easier than treating them. Undoubtedly, modern preventive medicine is not only a healthy lifestyle. It seeks to control risk factors, to recognise diseases early and to protect against their development and complications through a variety of tools and techniques. One of the most effective ways of protecting against infectious diseases is vaccination, which was started by Edward Jenner in England at the end of the 18th century and reached Lithuania six years later. Preventive medicine is an endless area of activities. Its crowning achievement is a healthier society and healthier people. I find this fascinating and it encourages me to follow and analyse innovations closely.

On the other hand, while teaching preventive medicine, I can also share my practical experience as an endocrinologist, clinical practice experience as a doctor of internal medicine, and my academic, management and administrative, project implementation, educational and international experience. I believe that this brings us closer to real life and results in better communication with students.

One of the important components of preventive medicine is health literacy, public education and patient training. For many years we have been preparing educational publications with like-minded colleagues and students. The textbook for students: “Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults” was the result of another beautiful friendship with Prof. Gintautas Česnys, an exceptional person. I am grateful for his help, his pearls of wisdom and knowledge, for being a role model of humanity and honesty, and the moments of wit and adventure. We all have learned love for our language, freedom and motherland from him.

Does time change your attitude to the essence of pedagogical work?

I am very pleased that the overall approach to teaching has changed in my 23 years of teaching. This has to do not only with experience, easier access to academic and pedagogical literature or the internet as a source of information. Pedagogical competences have evolved, exchange of ideas and academic knowledge has accelerated, and the learning process has been interpreted in different ways during different periods. The speed of IT development came as a surprise and opportunities to participate in international training, to study and do your practice abroad have appeared. Generations of students have changed and the differences between generations have become visible. I believe that with time, the attitude towards students as persons with their own expectations, social environment and experience has improved. The conscious society has matured.

Teaching for me is a coherent, continuous, inclusive process of learning and teaching. It is a lifestyle. A mutual constructive and rational communication. The lecturer not only shares their knowledge and experience, life examples, histories of success and failure, but also adapts to the student’s expectations and needs. It is important to look for new, effective ways of teaching or innovation that are interesting to students, to motivate them, make them curious, and promote critical and non-standard thinking. Lecturers play a very important role in the student’s life, because basically they inform the student’s professional choice, which is a highly responsible task.

I like to learn, discover and share on a regular basis. I am the kind of person who would share with others no matter whether it is a stone with a hole, a shell or a piece of amber on the beach, or some new piece of information and insights, or make a discovery and observation: “did you know …?”. My philosophy of life is to do what makes the heart sing and beat faster, and to never give up. I am pleased to see that students share my enthusiasm. I believe and see that my students are curious, talented, resourceful, often very different, but very smart.

What are nowadays students like?

Every student is like a bud capable of becoming the most beautiful flower at the right time, place and under certain circumstances. Much depends on whether they are just a student or actively and consciously engage in the study process. There is a very fair rule of the “magic 10,000 hours” or “how much effort you put in – that is the result you can expect”. In order to become a good specialist, to acquire competences and to achieve mastery, you have to practice. It is not enough to imagine the peak and believe that you are already there. Instead, you have to climb to the peak in small steps, because everyone can overcome the obstacles if they really want to.

Modern students have broad horizons, diverse knowledge and experience. They are not afraid of speaking out, asking, criticizing and can use modern technologies. The task of the lecturer is to feel the pulse of life and to keep up with time, adapt to innovation, guess what is going on in the heads and souls of students, and be able to interest and inspire the young person.

Studying and teaching are related processes, an equal partnership. In case of failure, both sides will suffer and in case of success both sides will celebrate. Every year, I am impatient to meet my students, I benefit from their youthful enthusiasm and learn new things. I believe that a sincere smile, laughter, kindness, compassion and empathy open the way to every heart. You just need to listen. There are hardly any solo parts during studies – not even duets, trios or quartets. It is the whole orchestra.