Formation and development of public health teaching in the system of higher medical education (From social hygiene to public health and health care)

Abstract

The article deals with the historical ways of formation and development of the educational and scientific discipline Public Health and Healthcare, underlines the role of N.A. Semashko in the formation and development of the educational and scientific discipline, in the foundation and holding the first Department of Social Hygiene in Russia. The features of teaching the discipline at the stage of formation, the content of the first Russian manual on Social Hygiene are highlighted in this article. The stages of the formation and development of the discipline in Russia since the 20s of the last century until the present, the peculiarities of teaching the discipline at each of the stages, the reasons for changing the name of the discipline are considered. The special role of the Department of Public Health and Health Care Organization, among other departments dealing with the study of health, is highlighted. The article substantiates the leading, methodological role of the Department in teaching the issues of preserving, strengthening and restoring public health, presents the modern requirements for the departments of Public Health and Health Care Organization, as well as for teachers, shows special aspects of teaching the discipline, the content of the national education program and differences from foreign programs. The ways of development of the academic discipline and the Departments teaching it are also presented.