History
First Moscow State Medical University, known as Sechenovsky University, is Moscow’s first medical university and Russia’s oldest leading medical school. During the 1812 Patriotic War, teachers and students volunteered for military medical service, with many casualties. The university’s buildings were largely destroyed in Moscow’s fires, but were reconstructed after Napoleon’s forces departed. A pivotal historical moment occurred when the Faculty of Medicine professors initiated clinical campus construction under Dean N.V.’s direction. Between 1887-1897, an extensive complex was rapidly built featuring unique architecture: 13 main buildings housing 710 beds alongside 8 educational and scientific institutes and 15 clinical institutions. Beyond patient care, the facilities enabled wartime research tailored to medical emergencies. During this period, a medical student performed one of Russia’s first successful heart surgeries, demonstrating advanced surgical innovation. Today, the Faculty of Medicine at Sechenovsky University represents the center of academic, scientific, and resource excellence in Russian medical education, preparing highly qualified specialists utilizing modern information technologies and twenty-first century educational standards.
