Microbiology Department

Since the inception of the Rangoon Medical College in 1925, the Department of Bacteriology functioned jointly with the Department of Pathology in terms of administration undet what was known as the Department of Pathology and Bacterioloy. However, Bacterioloyg including Medical Zoology, was taught as separate subjects together with Pathology in the third MBBS undergraduate medical course. In 1958, the Department became an independent one in the faculty of Medicine of the University of Rangoon, teaching Bacterioloyg, Virology, Parasitology, Mycology and Immunology, Although separated, laboratories and staffs premises continued to be shared with the Department of Pathology. With the development of the study of microoraganisms which included not only bacteria but also parasites, viruses, fungi and with further advances in  Immunology, a decision was made at the Medical Education  Seminar held in May, 1964 that if would be more appropriate for the former Department of Bacteriology to be known as the Department of Microbiology. This decision was implemented on December 1, 1964 and the Department of Microbiology  formally came into existence. On December 4 of the same year, the Department of Microbiology shifted of the ground floor of the Institute of Medicine(1), Lanmadaw. A clinical side-room at the Rangoon  General Hospital, which functioned since the Institute reopended after World War II, was administered jointly  with the Department of Pathology until Fevbruary 1967. From the academic year 1967-68 , the clinical side-room work was conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Microbiology at the Institute of Medicine (1). Since the opening of the diploma course in 1971, the Department of Microbiology has been affiliated with the Microbiology laboratory of the Yangon General Hospital in terms of training of the postgraduate students as well as rotatiolnal assignments of the teaching staff off and on.