When the University of Michigan founded its medical school in 1850, it immediately assumed a leadership role in American academic medicine.

They were the first medical school in the United States to recognize the importance of, and to build, a university hospital for physician instruction. They were also a pioneer in the introduction of the modern science-based curriculum, and were among the first schools to change the role of the student from passive observer to active participant in the learning process through high-caliber laboratory instruction and clerkships.

They also enjoy a unique place in the annals of education as one of the very first major medical schools to admit female students and minorities. In 164 years of service to students, these firsts, and many more, have galvanized their reputation as one of the nation’s premier public research-oriented medical schools.