The number of military departments in medical universities of Russia can be increased four times

The Ministry of Health of Russia plans to quadruple the number of military training centers (previously they were called military departments) in medical universities – from four to 17. They will train students in training programs for cadre officers and reserve officers. “Kommersant” writes about it.

Earlier this week, State Duma deputy Yana Lantratova asked the Minister of Health, Mikhail Murashko, about the prospects for the appearance of military departments in Russian medical universities “in the conditions of the emerging military-political situation.” The deputy referred to the results of a survey of doctors conducted by the team of the “Physician’s Handbook” application, which showed that more than half of civilian doctors do not know how to provide military field aid. According to research, 79 percent of doctors in Russia supported the return of military departments in medical schools, taking into account the “event of 2022”.

Now there are military training centers in two medical universities in Moscow, as well as one each in Rostov and Vladivostok. There, students are trained in military training programs for cadre officers (within six years) and reserve officers, starting from the second year.

As Kommersant was told in the Ministry of Health, 13 universities affiliated to the Ministry are ready to open new departments for training reserve officers in military accounting medical specialties from 2024.

Previously, military departments or faculties existed in civilian higher educational institutions in Russia, but in 2019 they all received the name of military educational centers. Before the amendments to the law on military duty and military service, a graduate who completed training at the military department became a private, sergeant or reserve officer, he did not have to serve in the army. Graduates of training centers became officers who had to serve for three years.

• At the end of last year, Prime Minister Mikhail Myshustin signed an order on the creation of new military training centers at state universities in 16 regions of Russia. Previously, similar centers were created at 94 universities. As a rule, military departments were transformed in them, where students who wanted to receive the rank of reserve officers and thereby avoid being drafted into the army as privates after graduating from universities were trained.