Education at the Department of Microbiology of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine began in February 1969 with the transfer to Diyarbakır of the students at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine. The first founding head of our Department, who was also the founding dean, was our late teacher Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Payzın. Its first research assistants were Eralp Arıkan and Mustafa Gürel. As a result of Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Payzın's return to his post at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, the headship of the Department was carried out by the late Prof. Dr. Hasip Kurtpınar until he retired due to the age limit on 13.07.1981. The headship of the Department was held, respectively, by Prof. Dr. Recep Bingöl, Prof. Dr. Eralp Arıkan and Prof. Dr. Ömer Mete. Our academic staff includes 6 professors, 1 specialist physician, and—serving in research assistant positions—2 specialty (residency) students and 1 doctoral student.Microbiology courses are given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students of the Faculty of Medicine, to the 1st year students of the Atatürk School of Health Services, to the 1st year students of the Atatürk Vocational School of Health Services, and to the 2nd and 3rd year students of the Faculty of Dentistry. A four-semester education program is currently applied to doctoral and specialty students, and during this process the research assistants also participate in the students' lectures and practical sessions.