The paper examines the training of military medical personnel in Russia and some countries in Western Europe between the mid-17th century and the early 20th century. It demonstrates that the establishment of a system for training medical personnel for the army in European countries is tied to the availability of surgical schools that had existed since the 15th century. In the Muscovite state, the first medical school opened as late as 1654. In spite of this, the advent of systematic training of military medical personnel in Europe and Russia virtually coincides and is associated with the 18th century