Visiting Fulbright scholar continues strong relationship between North Dakota, Turkmenistan Orazklych Orazklychev, a 2008-2009 visiting Fulbright scholar at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is the latest sign of partnership between North Dakota health officials and the west-central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. While at UND, Orazkylchev is conducting research in family physicians training in hopes of one day improving the health care system in Turkmenistan. Back home, Orazklychev is an assistant professor at Turkmen State Medical Institute in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He works in the Department of Family Medicine where he trains family physicians, treats and consults with patients, and conducts research work. His scientific interests include family medicine, pulmonology, and clinical pharmacology. He has also worked in the Department of Hospital Therapy, Department of Internal Diseases of Pediatric Faculty, and the Department of Faculty Therapy at the Turkmen State Medical Institute in Ashgabat. In 2005, Orazklychev was awarded the Gratitude Letter of Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. Orazklychev has co-authored three books: Tri-Lingual Medical Dictionary (English - Turkmen - Russian), Arterial Hypertension: Modern Methods of Diagnostics, Treatment and Prevention, and Metabolism of Drugs in Gastro-Intestinal Diseases. He has also had several articles and abstracts published in both Russian and Turkmen. At UND, Orazklychev is developing a skills-based primary care curriculum and retraining program for physicians and nurses in Turkmenistan. He believes that the way family medicine is structured in the United States would be a great model for Turkmenistan. His U.S. partner in this endeavor has been the UND medical school, the North Dakota State Health Department, and several other North Dakota organizations. Since the beginning of the partnership, Turkmenistan has made several improvements in health care. In 2000, Turkmenistan medical staff began an intense five-week training program in which they observed a variety of clinical settings around North Dakota. On May 14, 2001, The Family Medicine Training Center (FMTC) officially opened in Ashgabat. U.S. representatives from North Dakota were present for the ceremony, which included a congratulatory note from U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan that was read aloud during the ceremony. The FMTC curriculum was jointly developed by North Dakota and Turkmen partners. In 2003, North Dakota representatives assisted FMTC with a new module on women’s health that was added to the curriculum. In the same year, two Turkmen Ministry of Health administrators traveled to North Dakota to visit hospitals, family practice sites and UND, where they discussed the medical education system with residents and students. The partnership of both North Dakota and Turkmen partners has helped to improve the overall health care in Turkmenistan. Health care providers improved communication and learned patient-focused health care instead of disease-focused health care. The grassroots network of North Dakota organizations, which includes more than 100 communities, donated thousands of new layette sets for the families of newborns in Turkmenistan. The cost of the newborn clothing and accessories was valued at more than $100,000.