INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL (THE 1870–1900s)

In the 1870-1900s, despite the tense social, economic, and political situation in the country, Harvard Medical School was an incomparable institution of medical education, where faculty actively pursued not only educational but also organizational and scientific innovations. Analysis, systematization, generalization of scientific and pedagogical sources, and the method of historical and pedagogical reconstruction of events and facts enabled us to highlight the innovative activities of Harvard Medical School in the 1870-1900s. It should be noted that when Charles Eliot became the President of Harvard University in the early 1870s Harvard Medical School attracted considerable attention because it had positive prospects for development. Changes began in the educational processboth for students and academic staff. Scientific and organizational innovation activities continued to develop. Besides, note that innovation was individual and collective. Professors experimented with the curriculum, established new departments, introduced interesting and effective teaching methods and elective courses within the fourth year of study, participated in the development of new tools and devices, demonstrated successful operations, discovered new diseases, proposed revolutionary treatments, etc. Students became more responsible and devoted to their future profession, gaining the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities following the challenges of society at that time. As for future research, we consider covering the regulatory framework for the innovative activities of medical colleges in U.S. universities within historical terms.