The Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo was founded in 1944 as the first higher education institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the continuity of its work was established in 1946. On 14 September, 1992 the National Assembly of Republic of Srpska made the decision on the allocation of higher education institutions from the University of Sarajevo. On 15 October, 1993 the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Republic of Srpska made the decision on continuing the work of the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo, Republic of Srpska, with its headquarters in Srbinje / Foca. On 29 December, 1993, The National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska made a decision on establishment of the University of Sarajevo of the Republic of Srpska, as a successor of the University of Sarajevo. Faculty of Medicine University of Sarajevo of the Republic of Srpska, later University of Serbian Sarajevo, and, today, the University of East Sarajevo with the seat in Foca established in 1993, follows the tradition of the Faculty of Medicine Sarajevo.
Regular classes at the Faculty of Medicine Foca began in 1993/94, when the first students were enrolled in the first study cycle for a period of six years.
Since the academic year 2000/01, the Scientific-Teaching Council has made a decision to organize postgraduate studies ‘’The Basics of Biomedical Research’’ and first students were enrolled in the second study cycle.
In order to comply with the Law on Higher Education in 2007, the Faculty of Medicine, as a legal entity, is deleted from the court register and continues to function as the organizational unit at the University of East Sarajevo. The Faculty of Dentistry of the University, which also ceased its work as a legal entity and continued its work as an organizational unit of the University, has switched to the study programme at the Faculty of Medicine according to the Conclusions of the Collegium of the Rectorate since September 11, 2008, by decision of the University Board since September 26, 2008, and the Protocol on the takeover of people and property since November 26, 2008.
By the decision of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska in 2007 (from June 28, 2007 and the amendment of the Decision from February 27, 2009), the University was given the permission to conduct teaching in the study programmes: Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Special Education and Rehabilitation at the Faculty of Medicine.
In academic 2007/08, Faculty of Medicine began to implement the new curriculum in accordance with the Bologna Declaration.
The latest generation of students has entered the second study cycle at the Faculty of Medicine since the academic 2008/09.
By decision of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska dated from December 25, 2012, it was determined that the University meets the requirements for performing the second cycle study programme Nursing at the Faculty of Medicine and in the academic 2013/14 first students were enrolled. Based on the Decision of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska dated from August 28, 2013 since the academic 2013/14 the second cycle study programme Special Education and Rehabilitation has been organized at the Faculty of Medicine.
By decision of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska dated November 7, 2014, the University has been approved to perform the study programme “Biomedical Science – 180 ECTS” in the third study cycle at the Faculty of Medicine for a period of 3 years, and in the academic 2015/16 the first students were enrolled.
At the Faculty of Medicine in 2015 a scientific-research center for biomedical science was established. The Specialist Dentistry Center, a sub-organizational unit of the Faculty of Medicine, was established in 2016.
At the Faculty of Medicine, specialist studies are organized for doctors of medicine and doctors of dentistry.
Since its founding at the Faculty of Medicine, 1031 students have graduated, 77 students have defended their master’s thesis and 46 students have defended their doctoral thesis. The professional title of a specialist at the Faculty of Medicine has been acquired by 308 doctors of medicine and dentistry.