Discipline – Pneumology

Starting with 1948 Phthisiology was introduced as a study discipline in the analytical program of the Timișoara Institute of Medicine. Initially the discipline was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rona, followed in 1951 by Dr. E. Klein.  The first scientific communications of the team were held in the Phthisiology Department of the Timiș Society of Medical Sciences. This was followed by a period of intense development of scientific activity, as well as modernization of the clinic services.  Successively the clinic was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anastasatu (1956-1961), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Șt. Dumitru (1962-1974), S.L. Dr. Cioflec (1977-1991). During that period, two courses for students were published in 1981 and 1989, and also a chapter on phthisiology in the textbook of internal medicine.

Since 1991, the management of the Pneumophthisiology Discipline has been taken over by Prof. Dr. Voicu Tudorache, until 2018. At this time, given that Prof. Univ. Dr. Cristian Oancea is elected Department Director and later in 2020 appointed Vice-Rector for Scientific Research, the Head of Discipline becomes Assoc. Dr. Ovidiu Fira-Mladinescu.

During that period, the Pneumoftiziology Clinic experienced an unprecedented development, initially through the purchase of modern equipment, specific to various pathologies, which then led to the establishment of several specialized departments. Thus, the Center of Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, the Department of Bronchial Endoscopy, the Department of Sleep Medicine, the Department of Complex Respiratory functional exploration , the Center for Pulmonary Rehabilitation program were implemented.

In parallel, the pulmonary pathology served by the Pneumology Clinic has far exceeded the scope of phthisiology, which is particularly vast: lower respiratory tract infections and pulmonary suppurations, obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung damage, bronchopulmonary neoplasm, sleep pathology, pulmonary vascular pathology, immune diseases with lung involvement, etc. Thus, since 2012, UMF Timisoara was the first university in the country to “recognize” the importance of Pulmonology, and the entire pathology of the respiratory system has become the subject of teaching and study in this discipline.

As a result, the students of general medicine, dentistry, those of Balneophysiokinetotherapy and medical recovery (BKFT) were directed to our clinic. This has implicitly led to a numerical increase in our teaching staff. Currently, our Clinic is study site for the 4th year students of the Faculty of General Medicine (sections with teaching in Romanian, English, French) but also for students of Dentistry, General Nursing and Balneophysiokinetotherapy. The courses are interactive, constantly updated, and the internships, carried out within the Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Pneumophthisiology allow students to put into practice theoretical notions acquired during the courses.

Also, numerous members of the clinic are engaged in master’s education as part of the Master’s Program in Prevention and Recovery in Cardiopulmonary Diseases.

In addition, both pulmonology residents and residents of other medical specialties who have Pneumology internship during their curriculum, carry out their activity in the clinic. To help them evolve and be though roughly prepared in their career, systematically courses and case presentations are organized.

Two of the members of our discipline, namely Professor Univ. Cristian Oancea and Professor Univ. Dr. Voicu Tudorache, are part of the doctoral school, coordinating multiple doctoral theses in the field of Pneumology.

The Center for Research and Innovation in Personalized Medicine of Respiratory Diseases (CRIPMRD) was established in 2020, being recognized through internal competition as an Advanced Research Center.

The main directions and concerns of scientific research are essential pathologies in the field of Pulmonology, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep disorders, diffuse interstitial pneumonia, and recently, in the dramatic context of the global pandemic with COVID-19, new approaches of disease management and therapy. The purpose of these approaches was to constantly bring innovative, highly competitive information to any prestigious International Research Center.

Our center is currently engaged in several research projects, some of which are ongoing and others are about to begin using interdisciplinary and international teams.

Our goal is establishing a versatile Research Center, with high levels of performance, visibility, and, implicitly, openness to further collaborations with key partners in the field of respiratory diseases and more.

Some members of our discipline are part of professional reference societies in the field of Pulmonology such as the Romanian Society of Pneumology, the European Respiratory Society ERS), the American Society of Thoracic Pathology (ATS), American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), European Sleep Research Society (ESRS), etc.