Sociology of medicine:freedom to be yourself – both a doctor and a sociologist (Based on an interview with Andrey V. Reshetnikov,an Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences)

The article is the quintessence of a detailed conversation, that is, an interview by the author with an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, the founder of modern sociology of medicine in Russia, and the Director of the Institute of Social Sciences of Sechenov University Andrey V. Reshetnikov. The interview was officially conducted on the occasion of the academician A.V. Reshetnikov’s birthday. However, other reasons for conducting this interview were as follows: the increased interest of the professional community in the history of the formation of the sociology of medicine — a young but already established branch of “big” sociology — the need for researchers to discuss the theory as a tool for learning the fundamental principles of the development of modern society; and the need to determine strategic guidelines and coordinate the vectors of scientific research in line with the discipline. At the same time, the tireless, painstaking work of Andrey Veniaminovich on the development of the scientific school of the sociology of medicine, the formation of a team of like-minded people, and the strengthening of Russian and international relations between medical sociologists are inspiring examples of the realization of a professional vocation.