Today, the contemporary generation of medical officers faces new challenges and problems that require the transformation of professional training for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The paper describes the key problems that the Military Medical Academy and the entire system of medical education of the USSR faced during the Great Patriotic War, as well as the steps taken by the management of the Academy. These steps enabled them to maintain high standards of education at the institution and promote the professional advancement of graduates to meet the requirements of the combat units at the frontline and the national logistics and supply services. The paper also studies the effects of the Academy’s scientific achievements during the war, which transformed the training principles for civilian medical personnel based on the unique aspects of providing support to the wounded in combat. Furthermore, it considers the role of the Department of Physical Training in the education of the Academy’s military personnel during wartime and today. The paper provides a qualitative assessment of the importance of physical training in the rehabilitation and adaptation of injured military personnel. An analysis of pedagogical approaches and concepts from the perspective of the military history can show the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum of past and present curricula, thereby enabling the development the most effective methods of training and improving the higher education.