Department of Surgical Diseases No.1 with the course of Cardiovascular Surgery

The Department of Surgical Diseases No. 1 traces its origins to April 1991, when it was established at the 3rd City Hospital, the first clinical base of the newly formed Gomel State Medical Institute. Its founding head was Associate Professor Yu.P. Shevardin from the Poltava Medical Institute.

The department's inaugural academic year (1991-1992) involved training 6th-year students transferred from other universities and 1st-year students in general patient care. In February 1992, leadership passed to Professor S.I. Yupatov, former head of the Department of Faculty Surgery at Grodno Medical Institute.

Rapid growth followed. By 1992-1993, teaching loads increased significantly with the addition of 3rd and 4th-year students. The clinical base expanded to include departments at the regional hospital, oncology center, and emergency hospital. Professors Yupatov and assistant V.M. Lobankov delivered core lectures. 

Associate Professor V.M. Lobankov was elected head of the department in 1994, leading it through its final year as a unified entity (1994-1995), which by then utilized five hospital bases.

A new era began in 2000 with the arrival of Professor A.N. Lyzikov, who later served as Rector of Gomel State Medical University from 2007 to 2020. The department strengthened its academic standing through successful doctoral defenses: A.A. Prizentsov (2004, became associate professor in 2007) and A.G. Skuratov (2007, associate professor in 2009). Prizentsov led the department in 2013-2014.

A significant development occurred in November 2014 when the department, now headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences A.A. Lyzikov, merged with the Cardiovascular Surgery course. Lyzikov defended his doctoral dissertation in 2014 and was awarded the title of professor in 2016. This period also saw the rise of M.L. Kaplan, who joined in 2014, defended his candidate dissertation in 2016, and became an associate professor in 2021. B.B. Osipov, an assistant since 2014, also advanced to associate professor in 2021.

In May 2023, leadership passed to Associate Professor M.L. Kaplan, a specialist in vascular, endovascular surgery, and phlebology.

Today, the department's faculty includes senior lecturers E.Yu. Doroshko, E.L. Artyushkov, V.S. Tkhekapadikal, and assistants V.I. Silvistrovich, Yu.K. Kulikovich, A.E. Chirkov, continuing its mission of educating medical students and residents in surgical disciplines.