Department of Human Anatomy with the course of Operative Surgery and Topographic Anatomy

The Department of Human Anatomy with a Course in Operative Surgery and Topographic Anatomy was established in 1991, forming from the very beginning one of the foundational pillars of the Gomel State Medical University. For over three decades, it has been a cornerstone of medical education, where the intricate map of the human body is meticulously studied by future physicians.

The department's journey began under the leadership of its founder, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Romuald Mikhailovich Loyko, who guided its development from 1991 to 1997. A scholar in his own right, Professor Loyko was a direct disciple of the eminent Belarusian morphologist, Academician David Moisevich Golub, thereby connecting the new department to a rich national tradition of anatomical science.

Following him, from 1997 to 1998, the chair was held by Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Pyotr Petrovich Khomenok. 

Professor Khomenok's association with the university was inseparable from its own history; he had served as an associate professor in the Department of Normal Anatomy since the institution's founding in 1991. Renowned as a highly qualified specialist and a gifted educator, he possessed the rare talent of making complex material profoundly clear. His lectures were masterful, and his practical sessions were insightful. 

Students revered him not only for his pedagogical mastery but also for his innate kindness. He had a unique ability to instill a sincere love for anatomy and the broader field of medicine, shaping in his students the very heart and curiosity essential for a true healer. Beyond the lecture hall, his scientific pursuits in otorhinolaryngology and normal anatomy consistently contributed to the advancement of both the discipline and the educational methods of the department.

Among the distinguished figures who graced the department's halls was Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Ivan Nikiforovich Seregov, who dedicated eighteen years of his life, from 1991 to 2009, to its mission. His was a life of remarkable resilience.

Born on August 26, 1926, in the village of Novo-Zakharpolye, his youth was interrupted by the Great Patriotic War. Called to the front in 1944, he fought with the 3rd Belorussian Front for the liberation of Lithuania and East Prussia, where he was wounded in March 1945. After the war, he channeled the strength forged in those trials into academia, graduating from the Minsk State Medical Institute and defending his candidate's dissertation in 1971. 

Before joining our department, he spent two decades nurturing future specialists at the Department of Sports Medicine of Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. The author of over 75 scientific works and a decorated veteran—holder of the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Degree, the Medal "For military merit," and the Medal "For the Victory over Germany"—Ivan Nikiforovich carried through his life an indomitable spirit. 

Having witnessed the depths of hardship, he emerged with a profound and contagious love for life, which found its finest expression in his teaching. 

This passion, coupled with his deep knowledge, earned him the highest recognition and warm esteem from colleagues and generations of students. 

A photograph from the year 2000 preserves his image among the department's collective, standing alongside colleagues such as V.N. Zhdanovich, S.V. Doroshkevich, B.N. Sorchik, I.A. Cheshik, and E.K. Shesterina.

Since 1998, the stewardship of the department has been entrusted to Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Vitaly Nikolaevich Zhdanovich. 

Under his guidance, the department has continued to evolve, embracing new challenges and expanding its horizons. A significant step in its internationalization was taken in the 2008 academic year with the introduction of full English-language instruction, opening the doors of this fundamental science to a global community of medical students.

Today, the department remains committed to its core mission of delivering unparalleled education in two critical disciplines. Human Anatomy forms the essential bedrock of knowledge for first- and second-year students, while Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery provides the crucial surgical roadmap for third- and fourth-year cohorts of the Faculty of General Medicine, the Faculty of Medical Diagnostics, and the International Faculty. In every lecture hall and laboratory, the department upholds its legacy: a commitment to excellence, a reverence for scientific tradition, and a dedication to sculpting the minds of tomorrow's medical professionals.