Department of Normal Human Anatomy and Physiology
History
The Department of Human Anatomy (Normal Human Anatomy and Physiology) was established simultaneously with the founding of the School of Medicine as part of the Imperial Kharkiv University, which was created on the initiative of V. N. Karazin. The University’s School of Medicine became the first higher medical educational institution on the territory of Ukraine.
The development of the Department’s educational and research base, as well as the formation and growth of its scientific potential, are inextricably linked with the names of its Heads and Professors, including I. D. Knyhin, A. S. Venediktov, P. A. Naranovych, T. S. Illinskyi, D. F. Lambl, M. O. Popov, O. K. Bielousov, V. P. Vorobiov, R. D. Sinelnikov, and others, who established well-known morphological schools recognized both in Ukraine and internationally.
On November 20, 1992, by Order No. 185 of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, the University was authorized to resume medical education with the right to train specialists for clinical practice. In March 1993, the School of Fundamental Medicine was established, on the basis of which the Department of General and Clinical Pathology was organized by Decision No. 3 of the Academic Council of the University dated April 5, 1996, through the reorganization of the Department of General and Clinical Biophysics.
At that time, the Department of General and Clinical Pathology was responsible for teaching the following disciplines: Human Anatomy, Histology, General and Clinical Pathology, Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery, Forensic Medicine, as well as special courses in General Pathology and Medical Biomechanics.
The first Head of the Department was Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Oleksii Andriiovych Hutsol, who held this position until 2002. From 2002 to the present day, the Department of General and Clinical Pathology has been headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Olena Serhiivna Protsenko.
According to Order No. 3501-1/024 dated January 23, 2015, the Department of Human Anatomy was established.
In 2021, by decision of the Academic Council of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, the Department was renamed the Department of Normal Human Anatomy and Physiology.
Facilities and Resources
The material and technical facilities of the Department are at the highest level and fully comply with international standards.
Lectures are delivered in seven lecture halls equipped with multimedia systems and computers connected to the University’s internal network and the Internet.
For practical, laboratory, and seminar classes, the Department has at its disposal ten teaching rooms, the Human Anatomy Museum, an anatomical theatre, and a preparation room. These facilities are equipped with multimedia systems, personal computers with Internet access, video and television equipment, as well as the necessary models, mannequins, and demonstration materials. The Department possesses an extensive collection of anatomical specimens, anatomical models, and training mannequins.
Academic Staff
The academic staff of the Department of Normal Human Anatomy and Physiology includes 1 Doctor of Medical Sciences (Professor), 4 Candidates of Medical Sciences (Associate Professors), 8 assistants without academic degrees, 3 senior laboratory assistants, and 1 laboratory assistant. Full-time staff account for 70%, while part-time staff represent 30%.
High-quality education is ensured by the extensive experience and strong academic potential of the teaching staff. On average, the teaching experience of Department members in higher education institutions is 10 years.
To maintain a high scientific and pedagogical level, staff members annually undertake professional development courses, specialization programs, pre-certification training, thematic advanced training, as well as courses in pedagogical excellence and the implementation of innovative Internet technologies and distance-learning methods in the educational process.
Disciplines
The Department of Normal Human Anatomy and Physiology provides instruction in Ukrainian, Russian (for Russian-speaking international students), and English in the core disciplines Medical Biology, Normal Human Anatomy, and Normal Human Physiology for first- and second-year students.
Methodological Work
Methodological work at the Department is carried out on a continuous basis, ensuring comprehensive methodological support for all disciplines. The teaching materials prepared by the Department are available to students in electronic form online, on the servers of the School of Medicine internal computer network, in the University’s electronic repository, as well as in printed format.
For all disciplines taught by the Department, methodological support packages have been developed and are regularly updated. These include syllabi, calendar and thematic plans, methods for assessing students’ knowledge and skills, methodological guidelines for practical classes and independent study, instructions for students within the framework of the Bologna Process, databases of test and situational tasks for current and final modular assessment, lists of control questions and recommended literature, as well as lecture texts and multimedia presentations.