Beginning

Development of Crimea as a health resort, growing needs for medical services called for training medical specialists. Thus, in 1930 the National commissariat of public health suggested to open a medical Institute in Simferopol to the 10-th anniversary of the establishment of the Soviet Crimea. B. M. Voloshin, the Assistant of the National Crimean Commissar of Health, headed the organizational bureau; later he was appointed the director of the Institute. The name offered for the Institute was “The Crimean Perecop Victory Medical Institute”, then, in process of formation, it was changed to “The Crimean State Frunze Medical Institute”, in honor of Frunze, the commander of the Southern front at the time of the civil war in Russia.

In September 1930, the preparatory courses started, and as early as in the beginning of 1931, the first 100 students graduated from them. In August, 90 more students were admitted to the courses. Then, during four years, students were being admitted in January and August.

The Crimean Medical Institute, consisting of only one faculty, that of treatment-and-prophylactic, was solemnly opened on April 1, 1931, when the first three lectures were delivered – on chemistry, physics, and anatomy. Such was the outset. This is the date considered to be the birthday of the Crimean State Medical Institute.

On September 25, 1931, the Institute was given the name of I. V. Stalin and kept it until April 1956.

In February 1932, V. A. Targulov became the director of the Institute. The advance in development of the material base, organization of scientific researches, and formation of the faculty is in many respects connected to his activities. In those years, the students were both studying and building. The students’ building teams constructed a hostel, a sports hall, the church was transformed into the club; under the project of talented Crimean architect B. I. Belozersky Block 2 was erected, “The Red Crimea” called that building “the most beautiful in Simferopol”. Originally, here, on the ground floor, the rector’s office was placed. The families of many teachers lived there too.

The first graduation was on February 17, 1936. Ninety-seven students received their medical diplomas; among them, 18 graduates received their diplomas with distinction, including M. I. Salkov. In July 94 other graduates received their diplomas. The majority of the graduates got work appointment to the cities and areas of Crimea.

In 1938, M. I. Salkov was appointed the director of the Institute; at that time a new faculty, that of pediatrics, was founded. On September 1, 1938, 100 students started their studies there.

In 1939, the treatment-and-prophylactic faculty was renamed into the medical faculty. By 1940, the students’ contingent of the Institute was of about 1.5 thousand persons; at the 32 departments of the Institute, 23 professors, 16 senior lecturers, and over 100 department assistants and teachers were working.