Nicolae Testemiţanu the personality and State University of Medicine and
Pharmacy
„Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova is an
institution of higher education, accredited at the national level. . The training strategy of the University
springs from nice traditions of medical schools of the last century, but is focused continually on essential
changes in methods of organization of higher medical education. Nicolae Testemiţanu State University
of Medicine and Pharmacy is one of the most important higher education establishments in the
Republic of Moldova. It was founded on the basis of Sankt-Petersburg Medical Institute nr. 2 evacuated
during the Second World War in Kislovodsk and then transferred to Chişinău with all the students and
academic staff under the name of State Medical Institute.
Currently, SMUPh "Nicolae Testemitanu" is a higher education institution that prepares medical and
pharmaceutical staff, according to modern and international training requirements for specialists in the
field.
Integrated specialized higher education is carried out within the faculties: Medicine I (for the
specialties: Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Optometry, Nursing), Medicine II (for international
students), Dentistry, Pharmacy and in the Pre-university Training Centre (for citizens of other states).
Today the university, through its activity, confirms the prestige of the national medicine and contributes
greatly to the development of the national health system and universal medicine, being one of the
outstanding medical establishments in Europe and the whole world.
The mission of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of
Moldova is to offer quality services in education, research, medical assistance and professional
formation through the whole life, having a continuous preoccupation in ensuring and promoting the
highest national values in the frame of globalization.
Our University is recognized far beyond our country for the values it produced in the field of higher
education, training, medical sciences, medical care to the population, spiritual culture. Being always
faithful to the traditions of its founders, the University is involved in the nowadays processes such as
sharing values with over 30 universities and medical centers of Romania, Russian Federation, Ukraine,
Czech Republic, Slovakia, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Netherlands, Israel, and others
Nicolae Testemiţanu the personality
Nicolae Testemițanu (1 August 1927 in Ochiul Alb, Drochia district – 20 September 1986) was a
Moldovan scientist, surgeon, hygienist, and politician. In 1951, he graduated from Chisinau State
Institute of Medicine and started his working life as a surgeon in a district hospital. After graduating from
the clinical residency, he became an assistant at the Department of General Surgery of Chisinau State
Institute of Medicine. At the same time, he was the head of the Medical and Sanitary Department of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic. He defended his doctoral thesis devoted to the problems of
intraosseous osteosynthesis. In 1955, he became the chief physician at the Republican Clinical Hospital,
where he developed the specialized medical assistance and introduced a system of specialist curators.
He also participated in the reorganization of the rural health care system. In 1959, Nicolae Testemitanu
was appointed as Rector of Chisinau State Institute of Medicine, but he also continued his work at the
Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics. Then, in 1963, he was nominated as Minister of Health.
As rector and minister, he opened new faculties in the institute, significantly improved the provision of
medical assistance in the country, strengthened the material and technical base of health care
institutions, introduced progressive forms and methods of medical health care management. In 1971 he
defended his habilitation thesis and receiving the title of professor, and in 1973 he was elected as the
Chief of the Department of Social Medicine and Health Management of Chisinau State Institute of
Medicine. His research activities were dedicated to eliminate the differences in medical care assistance
between urban and rural populations.
