A BRIEF HISTORY

Nicolae Testemitanu Department of Social Medicine and Sanitary Management was founded in 1945, initially bearing the name Social Hygiene. The founder and first head of the Department was university professor Mihail Ghehtman, who fronted the Department for 28 years. At the end of the 1960s, it was renamed the Department of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization No. 1.

The need for managerial staff postgraduate training has led to the establishment within the Department of a course (1962), and based on it - the founding in 1969 of the Department of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization No. 2. It had the mission to train the students of Dentistry and Prophylactic Medicine Faculties as well. The founder and head of Department was university professor Vladimir Kant. In connection with the transfer of professor V. Kant to another position, between 1982-1996 the Department was led by university professor Ion Prisacaru.

After the sudden death of professor M. Ghehtman (1973), Nicolae Testemitanu, university professor, illustrious scientist and educator in the field of social medicine and management, was appointed head of Department. During that period, the didactic activity was significantly enhanced due to the implementation of new forms and methods of teaching and knowledge evaluation. The didactic and methodical materials were republished for all disciplines and the educational process was considerably improved. The methodical activity, carried out at the practical bases where students served their practical internship, was also modernized.

In 1975, the Museum of the State Medical Institute History was set up at the Department. During this period, the scientific plan of the Department addresses several issues, including the study of morbidity. Based on this, the norms for providing specialized outpatient and hospital medical assistance were developed.

In the 1970s, the new concept of adjusting the levels of health care provided to rural and urban population was developed. In connection with this, in 1976 the Problematic Laboratory was founded at the Department. Under the leadership of professor N. Testemitanu, the employees of the Department carried out original studies, which culminated in obtaining the State Award and the official confirmation of the Department as All-Union Center for coordinating the rural population healthcare within N. Semashko Moscow Institute for Refresher Training and Scientific Research. Later, based on these achievements, a plan was drawn up for the development and placement throughout the republic of the future network of outpatient medical institutions.

In 1985, based on the History of Medicine Course and the University History Museum, the Department of History of Medicine was founded, with Prof. Eugen Popuşoi at the helm.

After Nicolae Testemitanu’s death (1986), the department was headed by Associate Professor Mihai Raevschi.

At the end of 1987, Department of Social Medicine and Health Care Organization No. 1 was merged with the History of Medicine, being renamed the Department of Social Medicine and Organization of Health Care No. 1. The course of History of Medicine and the University Museum were included in its composition. Eugen Popuşoi, university professor, Doctor Habilitated in Medical Sciences, Scientist Emeritus, was appointed head of the department. He led the Department between 1987-2001.

After the premature death (2001) of university professor E. Popuşoi, by order of the Rector, Nicolae Testemitanu Department of Social Medicine and Management and the similar department of the Faculty of Physician Refresher Courses were merged, Dumitru Tintiuc, university professor, Doctor Habilitated in Medical Sciences being appointed head of the department. Previously (1987-1997), professor D. Tintiuc fronted the Department of Social Medicine and Health Care Organization of Odessa Medical Institute.

Since 2019, the position of head of Department has been held by Elena Raevschi, Doctor Habilitated in Medical Sciences, Associate Professor.