Medical University of Bialystok is a renowned, dynamically expanding institution of higher education, distinguished among Polish academic centers. The University staff members offer high standard of teaching and are an opinion- forming milieu in the region. Among all 793 academic teachers, there are 127 professors and 104 habilitated doctors. This ratio is one of the highest among all Polish universities. The history of the Medical University of Bialystok is a continuation of the 18th century tradition of practising medicine and public health care in Bialystok. At that time, a palace midwifery school was functioning in Bialystok, and it was later transformed into an Institute of Obstetrics (one of only a few in the entire country) - established by Dr. Jakub Michelis in the 19th century.Members of the first Faculty Council.Within the Institute, there was a clinic functioning as a health center and a teaching facility. The university was officially founded in 1950 as the tenth Doctors Academy in Poland and it was soon renamed Medical Academy. Branicki Palace became the main seat of the newly established institution