Philosophical education in higher medical institutions of postgraduate education is an integral and very important component of postgraduate training of doctors for medical research and practical activities. It allows increasing the level of humanitarian education of medical doctors, graduate students, residents, masters and interns in the history of philosophy, philosophy of science, philosophical anthropology, philosophy of education, ethics and deontology of medicine in accordance with philosophical thought and modern requirements of humanization and transformation of medicine.

In 1948, the Department of Marxism-Leninism was established, which included three teachers: the Head of the Department Associate Professor A.M. Okun (worked at the academy until 1960), M.I. Ginzburg (started working in 1946), and V.U. Brik, who became the head of the Department since 1952.

In the second half of the 60's the department was transformed into a course "Philosophical issues of medicine and biology", which in 1968 was headed by the associate professor Ph.D. O.S. Davydenko (worked until 1987). From March 1988, the head of the course, and then (since 1989) of the Department of Philosophy became an associate professor Ph.D. V.L. Kulinichenko (a medical doctor by profession). In 1993, the department was again transformed into a course of philosophy, which in 1999 became part of the Department of Humanities. During these years the associate professor, Ph.D. B.T. Tytarenko, Ph.D. A.M. Girnyk and others worked at the Department. In 2005, the Department of Philosophy was reestablished.

In different years the Honored worker of science and technology of Ukraine, Corresponding member of National Academy of Science of Ukraine (NASU) M.I. Mikhalchenko (1989-2015), Professor, D.Sc. O.G. Karagodina (2004-2015), Associate Professor, Ph.D. O.Y. Merezhynska (1989-2016), senior lecturer S.M. Glyz (1994-2011), assistant L.M. Mazur (2005-2013) worked at the department. They made a significant contribution to methodological, scientific and pedagogical work at the Department of philosophy.

Since 2000, the department advanced new research areas in the field of interdisciplinary research philosophical anthropology, philosophy of science and health, philosophy of valeology, and bioethics.

In 2004, the Department of Ethics (since 2014 - the Commission on Ethics) of Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (NMAPE) was established to assess the ethical, moral and legal aspects and conduct ethical examination of research projects carried out at the departments and clinical bases of the academy. Today, the Ethics Commission consists 14 leading specialist employees of the Academy. Since 2015, the chair of the Ethics Commission is Full Professor, D.Sc. S.V. Pustovit, the head of the Department of Philosophy, scientific secretary is Full Professor, D.Sc. N.M. Boychenko, and the secretary assistant N.V. Kovalenko.

Establishment of the Ethics Committee at the department contributes to the development of new powerful areas of the department - philosophy of clinical medicine and bioethics of clinical research, improvement of existing courses and creation of new training cycles: "Ethical and deontological principles of research" for masters and "Ethics of biomedical research" graduate students and doctors.

Since 2015, the head of the Department of Philosophy is Full Professor, D.Sc. S.V. Pustovit, who is also the president of the Ukrainian Association of Bioethics, a member of the Ethics Committee at National Academy of Science of Ukraine (NASU), and UNESCO expert on bioethics in Ukraine.

The main contingent of students of the department are graduate students, residents, interns, doctors of specialization courses and thematic professional training, teachers and researchers of the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine. Today the teachers of the department conduct classes (lectures, seminars) with all categories of students of the academy, for which 19 separate special courses and cycles have been developed and implemented, taking into account the specialty and form of study.

The research work of the department reflects in a large number of publications and presentations at scientific congresses, symposia and conferences, including international. Over the past five years, four monographs, two textbooks and more than a hundred articles, abstracts and collections published.

Well-known scientists from around the world worked at the department - Professor P. Modesto and J. Hollander from Germany, Professor D. Hodges from Great Britain, Professor D. Loyer from USA and others. Instructors of the department were professors V.L. Kulinichenko, M.I. Mihalchenko, S.V. Pustovit, N.M. Boichenko, O.G. Karagodina, associate professors E.Y. Merezhynska, B.I. Ostapenko and others. They participated in the international conferences and provided presentations in Belarus, Canada, Chech Republic, Moldova, Russian Federation and Spain.

During the period 2000-2021, the Department of Philosophy organized and held 9 international symposia on bioethics (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021), several international scientific and practical seminars. The department was a co-organizer of 7 National Congresses on Bioethics (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019).

The Department of Philosophy of Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine provides leadership

in the development of theoretical and methodological principles of transformation and humanization of medicine, bioethics of medical activity, ethics and ethical examination of biomedical research;

in the development and implementation of courses in normative and elective disciplines for graduate students "Philosophy, modern methodology of scientific research and bioethics", "Technologies of scientific creativity. Preparation of abstract and manuscript of the dissertation", "Logic and methodology of scientific research", "Modern moral theories and their use in medical practice "," Methodological, ethical and legal principles of biomedical research ";

in development and implementation of additional programs and courses for internship and specialization aimed at the humanization of medical activities: "Combating domestic violence", "Humanitarian foundations of the doctor", "Humanitarian aspects of clinical thinking";

in the development and implementation of thematic professional training courses for medical doctors and university instructors: "Philosophical principles of medical theory and practice", "The phenomenon of HIV infection: medical, social and philosophical aspects";

in the publication of monographs, textbooks and manuals on bioethics, and ethics of biomedical research;

in the organization and holding of international symposia on bioethics, in the development of ideas of bioethics in Ukraine.

The priority areas of scientific and educational work of the department are philosophical anthropology, philosophy of science, philosophy of medicine, philosophy of education, bioethics and ethics of clinical research, philosophical problems of psychotherapy, psychosomatic medicine and valeology. Philosophical and methodological issues of natural sciences and ethical examination of clinical research have a significant place in the research and educational work of the department.

Today at the Department of Philosophy of Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, work the head of the Department of Philosophy Full Professor, D.Sc. S.V. Pustovit, Full Professor, D.Sc. N.M. Boychenko, Associate Professor, Ph.D. and MA (Canada) B.I. Ostapenko, Associate Professor Ph.D. Y.S. Butsykin, senior lecturer Ph.D. V.V. Berezina and assistant. N.V. Kovalenko.

Since 1999, the department is located on the eighth floor of the educational laboratory building of the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine.