TSMU Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Continuous Professional Development is an educational unit of the university. Activity of the institute was ever-changing due to variable settings and subject actuality, though it’s general profile in relation to theoretical, clinical and practical education in medicine remained unchanged. A predecessor of the institute, “Institute of Higher Medical Qualification” was established in 1935. Initiators and founders were the academicians A. Tsulukidze and N. Kipshidze, together with Prof. Sh. Mikeladze. In 1941, the institute was renamed as “Institute of Medical Re-qualification and Training”, and in 1965 and since, it gained the status equal to higher medical education institution with the name of “Tbilisi State Medical Institute of Medical Re-qualification of USSR Health Ministry”. The situation at that time entirely substantiated the absolute necessity of creating such educational institution. Aside from medical re-qualification cycles ongoing in the institute, one more very essential issue was settled, concerning the effective merging of scientific-theoretical and practical activities in medicine.
In 1990, on more function was delegated to Tbilisi Institute of Medical Re-qualification aside from medical re-qualification, implying the education of medical student. In 1991, the institute was declared as the property of Republic of Georgia. In 1993, the institute was awarded with the status of state higher education institution and was called “Tbilisi State Medical Academy”. In relation to cancellation of students’ faculty, the academy was renamed again as “State Medical Academy of Postgraduate Medical Education”, holding the status of state higher education institution of postgraduate medical education and training.
In 2001, the academy was charged with obligation to deliver postgraduate medical education and professional development courses (residency courses), continuous medical education programs, retraining and re-qualification programs for doctors and nurses, also the function of basic institution managing the personnel issues in healthcare system and called respectively as “State Medical Academy of Georgia”.
From 2006, the academy was integrated in common unit with Tbilisi State Medical University as the “Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Continuous Professional Development”. The institute was authorized to provide the postgraduate medical education and continuous professional development, deliver qualification improvement for medical and academic staff and direct the postgraduate study for medical staff having the higher education degree. The institute has a significant potential to reach the set targets and to outline and implement the goals.