An Environmental and Local History Event “Ternopil – the City of Student Years” Held at the Department of Physiology with Bioethics

As the academic year is coming to an end, many students from different regions of Ukraine are studying at I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University is eager to share memories of their hometowns. In April, students in tutor groups attended an environmental and local history meeting dedicated to Ternopil, its attractions, and their alma mater.

The event opened with an engaging presentation on TNMU’s history by Marta Bytska, a student in group MM-233.

Ternopil National Medical University was founded on April 12, 1957. Its first director (rector) was Petro Ohii, and the vice-rector was Arsen Martyniuk. By decision of the regional council, two academic buildings and two dormitories were allocated for the institute. At that time, the institute employed 66 lecturers across 19 departments, including 1 Doctor of Sciences and 17 Candidates of Sciences. Among its prominent scholars were Kostiantyn Kovanov, Rostyslav-Yurii Komorovskyi, Anatolii Lokai, Ivan Sytnyk, and Mykola Skakun. One of the founders was also the future academician Yevhen Honcharuk. A total of 624 students studied across three years. The clinical base was the city hospital, which simultaneously functioned as a regional hospital. Construction of the morphological building, the regional hospital, and another dormitory also began at that time.

By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on July 1, 1992, the institute was named after Ivan Horbachevsky, an outstanding Ukrainian scientist who made a significant contribution to the development of biochemistry and was among the first to synthesize uric acid from inorganic substances.

In the 2000s, the publishing house “Ukrmedknyha” with its own printing complex was established. On September 27, 2016, the Simulation Training Center was opened. In 2017, a renovated training pharmacy was launched, and on April 5, 2017, the university clinic’s dental department was inaugurated. On April 17, 2019, by a Presidential Decree of Ukraine, the university was granted national status.

The presentation concluded with a tribute to members of the university community who gave their lives for Ukraine’s victory. Among them were Vitalii Barladyn, an employee of the software and hardware support department and senior sapper–UAV operator; Serhii Konoval, a TNMU graduate and company commander of the “Steel Wolves” unit of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade; Vitalii Bezkorovainyi, a graduate and military medic; Volodymyr Kravets (call sign “Docent”), a 1999 graduate who served as a rifleman–medic; and Yaroslav Zhebeliuk, a TNMU student who voluntarily joined the front as a combat medic.

The next presentation, delivered by Anastasiia Dzetsiukh (group MM-220), focused on the life stories of the first mayor of Ternopil, Volodymyr Luchakivskyi, and the Barvinskyi and Opilskyi families.

The third presentation featured interesting facts about the creation of Ternopil’s recreational areas—its parks, which are the city’s green gems. The material was prepared by Olha Turetska (group MM-220).

In conclusion, the Head of the Department of Physiology with Bioethics, Professor S. Vadziuk, noted the recent publication of the book “Old Park”, which contains unique materials on the history of one of Ternopil’s well-known green areas.