The Faculty of Military Medicine of Belarusian State Medical University was set up by a joint decree of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus in 1995.
The faculty received the status of an Institute on 05.07.2021.
There are no analogues of such an organization in any of the CIS states. The Institute is a component of a uniform academic structure of Belarusian State Medical University. At the same time it is an autonomous administrative unit with its own administration which is accountable to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus.
The Institute of Military Medicine has four departments: the Department of Organisation of Medical Provision of Troops and Emergency Medicine (OMPT and EM), the Department of Military Epidemiology and Military Hygiene (ME and MH), the Department of Military Field Therapy (MFT) and the Department of Military Field Surgery (MFS).
At the Department of OMPT and EM the students of Institute obtain knowledge in the following spheres: medical provision of military units under war conditions and in everyday life, deployment and functioning of military medical units under battle conditions and in emergency situations; provision of military units with property and technical equipment. In the process of study at the department the students obtain knowledge and practical skills in decision making as to organization of medical provision of military units under different conditions, planning and managing divisions of military medical service units.
The ME and MH Department pays great attention to prophylactic measures. The students are taught to prevent diseases, organize everyday life to avoid injuries and outbreaks of infectious diseases in military unit formations.
At the MFT Department the students deal with the issues of military therapeutic pathology, toxicology, the most common diseases in the army in peace time. Practical classes at the MFT Department are carried out at the therapeutic departments of Municipal Military Clinical Medical Center No. 432 and include clinical assessment of patients (examination, analysis of objective findings, making the diagnosis, administering a proper treatment).
The MFS Department pays great attention to training military doctors according to the latest achievements of the world surgery. Practical classes are conducted at the departments of basic clinics (Municipal Hospitals No. 2, 4, Municipal Military Clinical Medical Center No. 432) and consist of clinical assessment of patients (examination, analysis of the examination and test findings, making the diagnosis, administering a proper treatment), watching surgical operations performed by highly-skilled specialists.
The first military doctors graduated in 1998 and since then over 400 graduates have received their diplomas of the Institute.
The academic process is organized in such a way that the students learn the specific features of all steps of the military medical service.
From the 1st year onwards the students of Institute make first determined steps on the way to great science: at every department there are military student scientific societies where the students master their knowledge in different subject areas developed by the departments. There they develop their skills of working with scientific literature, modern medical and diagnostic equipment, carrying out scientific experiments.
Since the first days of the work of the Institute teaching has been carried out by the Honorary Doctor of the Republic of Belarus Professor Alexander Bova, Dr Sсi (Head of the MFT Department from 1995 to 2010), and the Honorary Doctor of the Republic of Belarus Professor Sergey Zhidkov, Dr Sсi (Head of the MFS Department from 1996 to 2009).
The scientific work of the Institute is carried out in accordance with the plan of research work, training of highly qualified specialists and the plan of publishing activity. The priority trends for research and, consequently, theses of the teaching staff are medical support of military troops, etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of surgical and therapeutic pathology, as well as diseases of military men in peacetime. Textbooks, and educational and instruction materials are published at the Institute.
In 2007 the post-graduate department in specialties «Surgery» and «Internal Medicine» was organized. In 2008 the first admission of postgraduates in these specialties was held.
The reviewed journal for military doctors «Military Medicine» has been published at the Institute since 2006. Supreme Attestation Commission (SAC) of the Republic of Belarus included it in the List of scientific publications of the Republic of Belarus for publishing the results of thesis research in medical science.
The staff of clinical departments supervise the work of corresponding hospital departments of Health Care Institutions (HCI), carry out routine rounds, consult the most complicated cases, make plans for further examination and treatment and monitor their implementation. Professors and associate professors of the Institute of Military Medicine constantly consult patients in city clinics. The teachers of the department introduce advanced modern scientific achievements into medical practice, participate in the Commission studying fatal outcomes in hospitals, military medical examination of military men and organize joint scientific conferences with leading experts and doctors at hospitals.
At the base of clinical departments of military field surgery and military field therapy of the Institute two military and scientific schools «Research problems in surgical emergency states» (Head – Zhidkov S.A. ) and «Hereditary disorders of connective tissue in the population of military age» (Head - Bova A.A.) were organized. The main purpose of the organized research teams is the development of scientific potential of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus for training highly qualified scientific personnel at the Institute of Military Medicine.
The Institute traditionally participates in the International Exhibition of Arms and Military Equipment «Milex». As a result of the exhibition the Institute has been awarded the diplomas «For unique exhibits» and «For cooperation in the field of military developments».
The course of study at the Institute lasts 6 years and is based on the curriculum for the Faculty of General Medicine with in-depth study of military disciplines in «Internal Medicine», specialization «Military medical service» and qualification «Doctor».
After the enrolment the newly admitted students undergo a three-week training course of a young soldier. At the end of the course the students take the military oath and are given the rank of a soldier by the order of Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus. Training facilities include clinics and departments of Belarusian State Medical University, Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus, military hospitals, Clinical Military Medical Center # 432 , Sanitary and Epidemiological Center # 23, military medical units and institutions.
At the end of the 5th year the students are given the rank of «lieutenant». After passing the state examinations successfully the sixth year graduates are given the military rank of «Senior Lieutenant of medical service» and the standard state diploma.
The Institute also carries out:
- training of reserved officers in the specialties: «Internal Medicine in ground troops», «General Epidemiology», «General Hygiene».
- training of clinical residents in the specialties of clinical surgery, therapy, hygiene, epidemiology as well as military doctors’ assistants.
Since 2009 the Institute has been training military medical personnel for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.