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Brief history

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy is the only higher education institution in the Republic of Moldova that trains doctors and pharmacists. It has become one of the most prestigious institutions in our country, gaining international recognition as well.

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy was established based on Institute of Medicine No. 1, Institute of Medicine No. 2, the Institute of Pediatrics of Leningrad (today St. Petersburg) and representatives of other specialized institutions of the Russian Federation,  that had been evacuated during World War II in Kislovodsk and later transferred to the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic with their students and entire teaching staff. Thus, Chisinau State Institute of Medicine (CSIM) was founded.

On October 20, 1945, the Institute started its activity with a single faculty – that of General Medicine, which had 32 departments. About 1000 students studied here, the teaching process being ensured by 130 professors, including 20 habilitated doctors in medicine and 23 doctors of medical sciences.

The establishment of Chisinau State Institute of Medicine served as an impetus for the development of higher medical education and the consolidation of the republic’s health system. The Faculty of Pediatrics was created in 1954, the Faculty of Dentistry – in 1959, the Faculty of Preventive Medicine – in 1963, and the Faculty of Pharmacy – in 1964. The need for continuous training of specialists contributed to the foundation of the Faculty of Continuing Medical Education in 1962.

In order to create appropriate conditions for the successful development of scientific activity, the Central Laboratory of Scientific Research was set up in the same year. In 1965, the Institute was awarded the first category, and in 1967, it was entitled to carry out new differentiated forms of continuous training, by future doctors’ specialties – through secondary clinical education and residency.

Starting from 1990, the Institute has borne the name of Nicolae Testemitanu (1927-1986) – a famous scientist, talented educator, statesman, experienced organizer in the field of public health, who contributed substantially to the coordination and development of the country’s health care system. Moreover, the renowned surgeon was an active promoter of national renaissance, a supporter of the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova.

On July 25, 1991, Nicolae Testemitanu State Institute of Medicine in Chisinau was reorganized into a university. In 1996, the institution was renamed Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova.

The Faculty of Residency and Clinical Secondary Education has been set up in 1992, at a more advanced stage – postgraduate training of future medical specialists and pharmacists through residency.

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy is a higher education institution, which trains medical and pharmaceutical staff, in line with modern international training requirements and innovative approaches to the formation of future specialists in the field.

Integrated specialized higher education (cycle I and II) is conducted by the following faculties: Medicine No. 1 (for Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Optometry and General Medical Care specialties), Medicine No. 2 (Medicine for international students specialty), Dentistry, Pharmacy and by the Pre-university Training Centre (for citizens of other states).

Since November 2015, doctoral higher education (cycle III) has been carried out at the Doctoral School in Health Sciences of the Consortium of institutions that organize doctoral studies. Under postdoctoral programs, fundamental and advanced applied scientific research is being conducted.

Postgraduate studies are held at the Faculty of Residency. In order to optimize the process of continuing professional education of medical and pharmacy specialists, as of May 16, 2016, the Faculty of Continuing Medical Education was reorganized into the Department of Continuing Medical Education (DCME).

To render the scientific-practical training of doctors and pharmacists more efficient, the University Dental Clinic (1977), Vasile Procopișin University Pharmaceutical Centre (1982), Scientific Centre of Medicinal Herbs Cultivation (2002), University Primary Health Care Clinic (2003), University Dental Centre (2011), Traditional Chinese Medicine Centre (2011), University Centre for Simulation in Medical Training (2013) – one of the most advanced centers of its kind in Eastern Europe, University Medical Rehabilitation Centre (2017), the Centre for Psychological Counseling and Career Guidance (2018) and the University Sociocultural Centre (2020) operate as part of the University structure. 

Staff training is based on modern education programs, in line with European standards, actually focusing on the most stable values, methodologies and teaching elements: traditions, advanced concepts, methods of analysis and synthesis, level of discipline and attitude, creative training practices. Integrated training, interactive forms, problem situations, clinical cases at the patient's bedside, evidence-based medicine, virtual programs, standardized patients, distance and workplace training, telemedicine and others are being implemented.

In the first years of study, University training is provided in Romanian, Russian and English. At the Francophone Branch (since 1998), which operates within the Faculty of Medicine No. 1, courses are mainly offered in French.

With its over 900 thousand publications and other modern information resources, the Health Sciences Library plays an important role in the University’s training and research process. Since 1997, the University has been connected to the Internet. In 2002 the first ”Infomedica” information centre was created. Currently the Library grants access to the European Information Centre, the World Health Organization Information and Documentation Centre, three ”Infomedica” information centres and the Centre for Academic Writing.

The noble mission of training medical specialists is being accomplished by a teaching staff with valuable intellectual skills and rich professional experience. In all, about 1200 specialists, including 8 academicians and 5 corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, full and honorary members of academies of other states, 178 habilitated doctors in medicine and 537 doctors of medical sciences, 15 Laureates of the State Prize in the field of science and technology work at 4 departments, 61 chairs, one course, 23 laboratories and 2 scientific centres. 

In addition to teaching and scientific activity, our highly professional staff maintains collaborative relationships in the area of training medical specialists and pharmacists as well as developing medical and pharmaceutical sciences and practical medicine with over 90 universities, faculties, medical centres and clinics in Romania, Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, the USA, Israel, etc.

International collaboration contributes to integrating into the European and global education systems and to developing the academic mobility of students and teachers, implementing modern methods of training, research, diagnosis and healthcare, obtaining grants for financing research, education and institutional development projects. Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy’s well-equipped facilities and rich technical-material resources cover all fields of university activity.

During 75 years of activity, the University has trained over 45,000 doctors and pharmacists, of which about 7,000 work in medical institutions abroad. Currently, more than 7,000 young people from the Republic of Moldova and 33 other countries of the world are studying at the university departments (chairs), including the clinical ones, located in 88 modern clinics and polyclinics.

On October 27, 2010, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy’s 2011-2020 Development Strategy, drawn up with the help of experts, national and international bodies, was approved by RM Government Resolution as an integral part of the Program for medical and pharmaceutical education development in the Republic of Moldova. The document was revised and approved by the Senate in 2016.

Subsequently, there has been formulated the 2012-2015 University Computerization Strategy. As a result of strategy implementation, the University Management Information System (UMIS) has been created, ensuring transparency and objectivity in the training and evaluation process, streamlining the communication between subdivisions and contributing to a higher quality of the university management.

The university was evaluated internationally by the European Commission for Academic Evaluation of the DentEd Evolves Association (2001), Le Conseil d'évaluation de La Conférence in­ternationale des Doyens des Facultés de Médecine d’Expression Française (2005), representatives of the Association of Medical Schools in Europe and the World Federation for Medical Education (2013-2014), while the Faculty of Dentistry was accredited by the Dental Council of California, the USA (2016, 2018).

In 2009, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy obtained, for the first time, a Quality Certificate, following the implementation of the Quality Management System according to ISO 9001: 2008 standard. Since 2016, it has been applying ISO 9001: 2015 standard, obtaining the corresponding quality certificate.

The University is a member of the Association of Medical Schools in Europe (2011), the International Association of Universities (2012), the Association for Medical Education in Europe (2013) and is registered in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

The basic mission of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy is masterfully defined by the key role it has been playing in reforming both the higher medical education and the country’s health system.

The three components that characterise the current image of the University are: exploiting all modern achievements in university education, developing and deepening scientific research, technology and innovation in the field of medicine and the dynamic carrying out of clinical activity. 

The University was decorated with the Order of Labor Glory (2005) and the Order of the Republic (2015). 

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Nicolae Testemitanu’s birth, by RM Parliament Resolution No. 220 of 23.09.2016, the year 2017 was declared the Year of Nicolae Testemitanu. This decision constitutes a special honor for the academic community of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, but also a good opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable personality whose name is currently borne by our institution.

In 2019, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy obtained the status of an internationally accredited institution according to the standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

In this context, on June 19, the University received the Certificate of international accreditation confirmation for 5 years, issued based on Protocol No. 46 of June 14, 2019 of the Accreditation Council of the Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating (IAAR) of Kazakhstan – an entity authorized by WFME to grant international certification to education institutions.