The Medical Faculty of the University of Kyiv, reorganized in 1920 into the Kyiv Medical Institute, was founded in April 1840. 22 medical students who entered the faculty listened to the first lecture on anatomy on September 9, 1841.

Due to the lack of adequate premises for the medical faculty, its opening was scheduled for 1842, when the main university building’s construction was to be completed. However, the need for doctors, especially due to the widespread epidemics in the country, was so great that in December 1840, Minister Uvarov, to change the previous decree, proposed to the administration of the University of Kyiv in early 1841/42 AD. to open the 1st year of the medical faculty.

The study at the medical faculty was 5 ел, and at all other faculties – 4 ел.

According to the charter of 1842, intended exclusively for the University of Kyiv, the medical faculty was to consist of the following departments: 1) physiological anatomy with micrography; 2) physiology of a healthy person; 3) physiology of a sick person or pathological physiology with pathological anatomy; 4) general therapy and “medical substance” with the necessary instructions on toxicology; 5) operative surgery with a surgical clinic; 6) theoretical surgery with ophthalmology; 7) private therapy in full; 8) therapeutic clinic with semiotics; 9) theoretical and practical obstetrics, obstetric clinic; 10) state medical science, which includes: ә) forensic medicine; б) medical police with hygiene; белән) medical law, i.e., a summary of the case, the order of service, as well as information about the civil service and law in the amount necessary for the doctor; d) veterinary police with epizootic diseases. These departments were to be replaced gradually, with the organization of senior courses at the medical faculty.

Part of the Vienna Medical and Surgical Academy’s laboratory property, which was closed by the tsarist government shortly before the establishment of the faculty, was transferred to the Medical Faculty. Because most of the professors and teachers of the academy were Poles, few of them were able to work at the Medical Faculty of Kyiv University.

In May 1845, the first issue took place. 3 people graduated from the Medical Faculty of Kyiv University with the title of doctor.

At the founding of the faculty, he was already given an important role in the system of medical education in Russia to become a leading center for other medical faculties in southern Russia.

The success of the medical faculty of Kyiv University is large since its development, as well as the origin of the faculty, is associated with the name of MI Pirogov. In the Diary of an Old Doctor, Mykola Ivanovych, talking about his activities as a member and commission at the Ministry of Education, says: “All affairs and even the election of medical faculties of all Russian universities passed through our hands. Especially the newly established at that time, the faculty of Kiev University was almost entirely established and elected to our Commission. ”

Mykola Ivanovych’s students and successors were the faculty’s first professors – VO Karavaev, MI Kozlov, OP Walter.

The formation of VO Karavaev as a scientist and skilled surgeon was under the direct influence of MI Pirogov, who wrote: “I can rightly consider one of my scientific pets: I directed his steps in the field of surgery, told him the direction I have already chosen. in the study of surgery. ”

While in Dorpat, Professor of Anatomy MI Kozlov listened to wonderful lectures by MI Pirogov, under his influence, formed the scientific beliefs of MI Kozlov on anatomy. Kozlov’s great erudition allowed him to teach a course in the history of medicine simultaneously, which was also, to some extent, influenced by his teacher, who paid much attention to the history of the development of medical knowledge. MI Pirogov’s genius, covering all the rich heritage of the past, sought the future, sought new scientific facts that could enrich medicine and indicate ways of its further development. This could not but affect the activities of his students.

The gradual development of MI Pirogov’s ideas at the Medical Faculty can also be traced to Kozlov’s successor’s activities in the Department of Anatomy, Professor OP Walter.

Attending lectures by MI Pirogov, as well as working in the clinic headed by him, the young OP Walter became an ardent supporter of his teacher, trying to imitate him as much as possible in the method of cognition of scientific truths, built on a solid foundation of facts, without assuming any untested conclusions. The fact that OP Walter followed the ideas of MI Pirogov, as evidenced by his words: “Probably no one will reproach that I followed Pirogov everywhere, wherever but to do it…”

At the initiative of OP Walter, a building of the anatomical theater was built on Fundukleivska Street (now B. Khmelnytsky Street), according to the famous architect OV Beretti – one of the best at that time not only in Russia but also in the world. VO Betz called it the “palace of science.”