diff --git a/backend/user-service/src/models/user.model.ts b/backend/user-service/src/models/user.model.ts
index d72e28c6bf..2232e19ab2 100644
--- a/backend/user-service/src/models/user.model.ts
+++ b/backend/user-service/src/models/user.model.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import { Schema, model } from 'mongoose'
+import { Schema } from 'mongoose'
 import { IUser } from '../types/IUser'
 import { Proficiency } from '../types/Proficiency'
 import { Role } from '../types/Role'
 
-const UserSchema = new Schema<IUser>({
+export default new Schema<IUser>({
     username: {
         type: String,
         required: true,
@@ -43,5 +43,3 @@ const UserSchema = new Schema<IUser>({
         default: null,
     },
 })
-
-export default model<IUser>('User', UserSchema)
diff --git a/backend/user-service/src/models/user.repository.ts b/backend/user-service/src/models/user.repository.ts
index c9d00c3cc8..164087c653 100644
--- a/backend/user-service/src/models/user.repository.ts
+++ b/backend/user-service/src/models/user.repository.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+import { Model, model } from 'mongoose'
 import { CreateUserDto } from '../types/CreateUserDto'
 import { IUser } from '../types/IUser'
 import { UserDto } from '../types/UserDto'
-import userModel from './user.model'
+import userSchema from './user.model'
+
+const userModel: Model<IUser> = model('User', userSchema)
 
 export async function findAllUsers(): Promise<IUser[]> {
     return userModel.find()