The history of the department begins with the opening in 1992 on the basis of the Sumy Institute of Physics and Technology of the Medical Faculty (order to open the faculty for № 109 from June 15, 1992). At that time it was called “Department of Human Anatomy, Histology, Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery”. Doctor of Medical Sciences Shevchenko Olena Oleksandrivna, a student of the leading Ukrainian anatomist I. Boryk, was invited to head the department. The educational process at the department began in October 1992. Practical classes on human anatomy were conducted by doctors of Sumy Volkov S. and Petrenko V. Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Mardar G. was invited to teach histology from Chernivtsi. Practical classes were conducted by doctors Belykh T. and Krupska S. Classrooms, classrooms of teachers, utility rooms the department received on the III and IV floors of the theoretical building. Since November 1992, candidates of medical sciences Sukhareva A. and Bindu T. have been involved in teaching human anatomy. Medical universities of Ukraine have transferred to the faculty textbooks, methodological developments and manuals for practical classes, bone preparations, tables and models. At the end of November, associate professor Ustyansky O. was invited to the department from Poltava. Along with him, his private collection of bone preparations, wet preparations of internal organs and CNS preparations (spinal cord and brain), dissected physical body, models, tables and other visual aids. At the end of 1992 at the department worked: Dr. med. N. Shevchenko O., docent Ustyansky O., Assoc. Mardar G., assistant. Volkov S., assistant. Petrenko V., Candidate of Medical Sciences N. Sukharev A., Candidate of Medical Sciences Binda T., Head Museum Tsybukov IT, Art. lab. Polyakova V., preparators Sherstyuk S. and Ryabokon S., laboratory assistant Govorova Zh. V. and others. In parallel with the organization of the educational process, a student scientific group and a group for the manufacture of educational anatomical preparations began to work. An agreement was signed with the pathology department of the regional hospital for the supply of internal organs. Preparations were made for the transition of the department to a new morphological building, which was being prepared by the builders for commissioning. To do this, at the compressor plant of the association. Frunze ordered stainless steel baths for storing physical bodies and baths for storing organs. Drawings of these baths were developed independently. The project of the corpse storage was coordinated with the builders. Portraits of leading scientists-anatomists and triptychs “Anatomy is the foundation of medicine” were ordered at the Sumy Art and Production Plant. 6 standard sectional tables were delivered for the equipment of section halls and corpses. The Pharmacy Association purchased laboratory glassware, museum jars, formalin and other materials and reagents. At the Selmi Association, the institute purchased 2 electron microscopes, 2 ultramicrotomes and 2 GDPs for the department and the faculty as a whole. They also received equipment for a photo laboratory. But the main activity of the staff of the department remained the educational process.
It is necessary to pay tribute to the purposefulness and persistence of students in acquiring knowledge. Until late in the evening at the department, students studied drugs, prepared tables, new drugs from the organs coming from the pathology department. A state examination commission was set up to take the first state exam, which was being held in the summer at the time. Mykola Hryhorovych Kononenko, a surgeon and professor, was appointed chairman of the commission. The commission included prof. Shevchenko O. (examiner), Assoc. Ustyansky O. (examiner), prof. Nazar P. and prof. Kaplin M. (members of the commission). The department at that time had 2 dissected physical bodies, a sufficient number of wet preparations, tables, models, etc. Despite the fact that the department and the faculty took only the first steps, the students showed deep theoretical knowledge in the exams, had a sufficient amount of practical skills. The chairman of the commission drew attention to this fact in his traditional report. The exam was conducted in the form of an active interview with the student on anatomical preparations. The exam ticket consisted of 4 theoretical questions. 1993 – 1994 academic year the department began in a new morphological building. There were 2 beautiful sectional halls for 3 and 2 sectional tables with shadowless lamps, a corpse storage, a museum, 3 classrooms for histology, an operating room and 2 classrooms for operative surgery and topographic anatomy, 2 lecture halls, electron microscopy laboratory, histological laboratory, photo laboratory. The corridor of the department was decorated with portraits of leading scientists – morphologists, triptych “Anatomy – the foundation of medicine”, educational stands. The supply of physical bodies and the manufacture of anatomical educational and museum preparations were established. Since 1994, the department is headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vitaliy Zinoviyovych Sikora. With his arrival at the department, the work of the entire staff of the department became much more active. The young assistants received the topics of candidate’s dissertations, a histological laboratory, an electron microscopy laboratory, and a spectral analysis laboratory. Searchers have mastered the techniques of the experiment. A batch of rats was ordered to perform the scientific work of the department. Irradiation of rats was performed on the basis of Sumy Regional Oncology Center. The researchers developed a diet for experimental animals with a high content of salts of heavy metals. In 1995, the educational process in the course of operative surgery and topographic anatomy began. Teachers of the course were: an experienced anatomist, student and son of a leading anatomist with a world name Yukhim Petrovich Melman (Ivano-Frankivsk school) Valery Yukhimovich Ilyin, surgeons Vasily Yakovlevich Pak and Valery Vasilyevich Shvachko. The operating unit started working on the course. In the spring of 1996, the first training operations on animals (dogs) were performed. A vivarium was organized to take care of the operated animals. The students took great responsibility for performing operations on animals and their subsequent care. Almost all operated animals survived, no complications were observed after operations. The museum has been replenished with a new collection of hand-made preparations. The entrance to the department and corridors were decorated with paintings and flowers.
