The Department of Pediatrics № 2, founded in 1984, is a follower of the traditions of the Kharkiv Pediatric School, founded in the late nineteenth century, when the Department of Pediatrics was organized for the first time in Ukraine in 1892 led by prof. M.D. Ponomarev at the Imperial Kharkiv University. In 1901, after the retirement of Honored Professor MD Ponomarev, prof. I.V. Troitsky – a famous pediatrician of the late XIX – early XX centuries was holding а chair of the Department of Pediatrics of Kharkiv University during 17 years (1902–1919). He helped to improve the teaching of pediatrics and the provision of medical care to children.

I.V. Troitsky conducted extensive scientific work. He was a talented propagandist of prevention in pediatrics, gave full attention to child’s nutrition. From 1920 to 1930 the Department of Pediatrics was headed by Prof. Ya.S. Arkavin, who is rightly considered to be the founder of Ukrainian micropediatrics. He gave full attention to the organization of the children’s hospitals and the institutions for infants. He was the organizer of the children’s consultation at the clinic of the first All-Ukrainian Institute OKHMATDIT in Kharkiv. Professor M.M. Frishman, who was holding а chair of the Department of Pediatrics in 1930, made a great contribution to the development of pediatrics in our city. According to contemporaries, M.M. Frishman was a brilliant clinician, teacher, lecturer, methodologist. His lectures were accompanied by a demonstration of patients, the department conducted scientific work on important for that time issues of rheumatism, tuberculosis, dysentery.

In 1944, the department was headed by prof. V.O. Belousov. In 1946, this department was divided into Department of Propaedeutics and Faculty Pediatrics, headed by Prof. V.O. Belousov, and in 1952 it was renamed into the Department of Faculty-Hospital Pediatrics, then – Hospital Pediatrics.

The formation of the Department of Faculty Pediatrics, as well as other departments of pediatric profile, was preceded by the process of reforming medical education, which was expanded in the post-war years: the transition to three-stage teaching (propaedeutics, faculty and hospital pediatrics), six-year education at a medical institute and appearance of new bases. Therefore, in 1957, there were already four departments of pediatrics, including the faculty and hospital pediatrics (headed by prof. V.O. Belousov) on the base of a child’s department of the KhRCH (Danilevsky street, 7).

From 1960 to 1965 the Department of Propaedeutics and Faculty Pediatrics was headed by Prof. G.F. Dobrogaeva, from 1965 to 1973 – prof. V.S. Prikhodko, from 1973 to 1984 – prof. VM Kolomensky.

Further improvement of the teaching of pediatrics was carried out by organizing continuous education of students from IV to VI courses at one department. For this aim, in 1984 the Department of Hospital Pediatrics was reorganized into the Department of Pediatrics № 1 (Head Prof. V.S. Prykhodko) on the basis of the Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital (Muranova Street, 5) and the Department of Pediatrics № 2 was created (Head Prof. G.I. Sukacheva) on the basis of the city children’s clinical hospital № 16 (L. Pasteur Street, 2).

The history of the Department of Pediatrics №2 begins from 1984. From 1984 to 1996 it was headed by Professor G.I. Sukachova, whose scientific direction was related to the study of heart disease in children. During this period, the department also conducted research on pediatric hematology, pulmonology, and nephrology. From the 1996-1997 academic year the Department of Pediatrics № 1 again was renamed into the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, and the Department of Pediatrics № 2 was renamed into the Department of Faculty Pediatrics with Medical Genetics, with Prof. Yu. V. Odinets as a head of which.

An outstanding scientist, a doctor who has dedicated his entire life to the protection of the health of children in critical conditions, he is an Honored Doctor of Ukraine. Since 2000, in connection with the creation of the Department of Medical Genetics at KhSMU, the Department of Faculty Pediatrics with Medical Genetics was renamed into the Department of Faculty Pediatrics, and since 2008 – the Department of Pediatrics № 2. Professor Yu.V. Odinets headed the department until 2015. Until now, Yuriy Vasyliovych inspires young doctors with his work, sincerely shares his multifaceted experience in pediatric nephrology and hematology with students. Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Natalia Ivanovna Makieieva is the head of the Department of Pediatrics № 2 from 2015 up today.

Thus, the modern Department of Pediatrics № 2 is the successor of the departments of pediatric profile, which at different times taught a course of faculty pediatrics. For more than 35 years of existence of the Department of Pediatrics № 2 the staff is guided by traditions that have always answered the most actual questions of medical sciencе.