History
Petersburg Pediatric Medical University was founded on the opening of the Birth and Baby Institute in 1925, established on the basis of the City Children’s Hospital founded in 1905. In 1935, the hospital received status as a higher medical educational institution and transformed into the Leningrad Institute of Child Health. The first graduation of 51 pediatricians occurred in 1936. By World War II outbreak, five graduations had produced 530 pediatric doctors, with more than 3,000 doctors receiving advanced training. The faculty comprised 37 professors, 88 associate professors, and 160 assistants. The institute published 20 handbooks and 2,072 scientific articles on pediatric problems, pioneering medical and social issues related to maternal and child health. During World War II, the institute continued clinical work despite bombardment, marked on German maps as “Object 708.” Despite direct hits on buildings, not a single child perished. The institute treated 400,000 non-evacuated children, with faculty saving countless lives. Students participated in wartime medical assistance across regions. The institution evolved into an international medical education center training thousands of foreign students from 70 countries across four continents.
