The issue of development of forensic institutions of Ukraine in the ХХ century was studied. Until 1917, forensic medical examinations were conducted in the medical compartments of the provincial administrations, at the departments of forensic medicine of universities and in hospitals - by police doctors. The chairs of forensic medicine existed in the St. Vladimir Kyiv University, Kharkiv, Novorosiisk and Lviv Universities. Real organization of Ukrainian forensic medical institutions began in 1919 with the creation of the Medical Examination Department at the People’s Commissariat of Health. In 1923, the Main forensic medical inspection, headed by M. S. Bokarius, was founded. In the provinces the positions of forensic medical inspectors were created. In 1927 the sections of biological research were established in the Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odesa institutes of scientific andforensic expertise,where separate forensic examinations were conducted. In 1949 the institutions of forensic medical examination of the USSR were merged into the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination, in Ukraine it was held in 1951. It was proved that forensic medical institutions developed at the following chronological stages: 1) until 1917 - forensic medical service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs; 2) 1917-1941 - prewar formation of forensic medical institutions; 3) 1941-1949 -forensic medical institutions during the war and in the first post-war years; 4) 1949-1990s - period of development of the bureau of forensic medical examinations of the countries of the USSR; 5) since the 1990s - development of expert institutions in the public health care system in independent postSoviet states. It’s stressed that formation of the forensic institutions in Ukraine is closely related with the development of forensic medicine departments of higher educational establishments. Forensic medicine departments were the basisfor practicalforensic medicine, professors provided daily assistance to forensic medical experts.
