History of VSMA

In December 1930 the Medical Faculty of the Voronezh University became an independent Medical Institute consisting of two Faculties: the Faculty of General Medicine and the Faculty of Health. In 1933 the Pediatric Faculty, in 1957 the Faculty of Stomatology (Dentistry) and in 1983 the Faculty of Continuing Education for Medical specialists and Practicing Physicians were added.

In 1992 the International Faculty of Medical Education and the Faculty of Pre-University Training were introduced. As a recognition of it’s Academic Excellence and being one of the largest scientific-educational & medical-diagnostic Centers in Russia, the Ministry of Education awarded the Academy Status and the Institute was renamed as Voronezh State Medical Academy in 1994. In the same year Faculty of Advanced Nursing was established. Having an intercollegiate status in previous years the Pharmaceutical Department has developed its own academic curriculum and became an independent Faculty since 2002.

The Voronezh State Medical Academy named after N.N. Burdenko is the Oldest Higher Medical Educational Establishment in Russia. By the order of Tsar Alexander the First on April 21st, 1802 the Derpt University was established in the north west of Russia. (Later getting the name Yuriev, and nowadays renamed the Tartu University)

The imperial Derpt University was the largest scientific – medical center in Russia and is the connecting loop between scientific centers in Russia and Western Europe. Medical faculty of Derpt University was proud for its outstanding graduates, who later became prominent scientists and joined its academic staff. Among those were N.I. Pirogov, the founder of many pioneering techniques in surgery, N.I. Lunin, the founder of the studies on vitamins, N.I. Leporsky , the author of the theory of digestive diseases and N.N. Burdenko , the founder of Russian Neurosurgery.

In February 1918 the German troops occupied Yuriev, the Russian Department of the University was closed and in summer 1918 moved to Voronezh. The dream of the progressive intellectuals in Voronezh towards establishing a University in the city was thus fulfilled. On 12th November 1918 all the faculties of the Voronezh University started training doctors.

Scientists who have made significant contributions towards the development of Medical Science and practical health care have served at Voronezh State Medical Academy during different periods of its existence; Neurosurgeon, the first president of the Academy of Medical Sciences(AMS) of USSR, Academician Nicholai Nicholaivich Burdenko, in honor of whom the Institute was named after in 1977, Academicians of the AMS of USSR, Physiologist D.A. Birukov, Anatomist D.A. Shdanov, Therapist N.I. Leporsky, N.A. Kurshakov, Histologist A.A. Voitkevich, Ophthalmologist A.I. Pakrovsky, Microbiologist M.V. Zemskov, Hygienist V.A. Pakrovsky.

Today, VSMA continues to grow, both in its facilities and in the variety and depth of its educational and research programs. The Academy’s goals for the future include the continued provision of the highest quality education, along with the increased support of research and commitment to public service to meet the needs of society.