The Department of Physical Education and Exercise Therapy was established in the postwar years. From 1944 to 1946 there was a course of physical education at the Department of Military Training, in 1947 an independent Department of Physical Education was established headed by M. P. Sirokuz. From 1950 to 1972 the department was headed by P. G. Dmitrenko.

From 1972 to 1977 the department was headed by a graduate of Vinnytsia Medical Institute, Honored Master of Sports O. N. Ivanov who graduated from the Lviv Institute of Physical Culture.

In 1977 the department was headed by a graduate of Vinnytsia Medical Institute, master of sports in weightlifting A. I. Shramko who trained many outstanding athletes. Among which it is necessary to note the master of sports V. V. Kishchuk who is currently a professor and heads the Department of ENT Diseases of the university, candidate for master of sports P. A. Galenko-Yaroshevsky — Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Russia, Vice-Rector for Research of Krasnodar Medical University.

From 1983 to 2011, the department was again headed by Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor O. N. Ivanov.

Since 2011 and until now the head of the department is Doctor of Biological Sciences, L. A. Sarafinyuk — the first professor in the history of the department. She has created a strong scientific and sports team. Under her guidance, PhD theses were defended by: O. A Bobroska, a lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy, as well as employees of the department: associate professor Lezhneva O. V., assistant Kirichenko Y. V., the dissertation work of the teacher Yakusheva Y. I.

Today the department conducts the educational process in the discipline “Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation” for students of the third year of the Faculty of Dentistry and the fourth year of the Faculty of Medicine No. 1 and the Faculty of Medicine No. 2, speciality “Medical Psychology”; “Physical Education” — for students of first and second years of medical faculties No. 1 and No. 2, dental faculty, pharmaceutical faculty, speciality “Clinical Pharmacology”.

New classrooms have been created and equipped, sports halls have been renovated. The team of authors Kachan V. V., Sarafinyuk L. A., Lezhneva O. V. wrote a textbook “Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Sports Medicine” was published.

Medical and consultative work by specialists of the department is carried out on the basis of the Military Medical and Clinical Center of the Central Region of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

As of today, the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Therapy has 26 employees, including 1 professor, doctor of biological sciences, 2 associate professors, 3 candidates of medical sciences, 1 candidate of sciences in physical education and sports, 4 senior teachers, 1 assistant, 4 senior laboratory assistants, 2 laboratory assistants with medical education and 1 worker.