Pitt School of Medicine

Chartered in 1886 as the Western Pennsylvania Medical College, a free-standing school formed by local physicians, the School of Medicine sought university affiliation even in the early years of operations. In 1891 the School became affiliated with the Western University of Pennsylvania and, two decades later, was integrated into the newly designated University of Pittsburgh. Abraham Flexner, a renowned educator, published his first report, Medical Education in the U.S. and Canada, in 1910 after he had visited 155 medical schools, including the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The Flexner Report, in effect, removed medical education from the apprenticeship era and laid the foundations for the integrated academic basic science and clinical curricula of today.

In this first report, Flexner made the following comments relative to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine:

"Since the present management took hold last fall, the admission of students has been more carefully supervised, the building has been put in excellent condition.... Whole-time instructors of modern training and ideals have been secured... A new building is in the process of erection..."

Flexner went on to cite the School as an example of what could be accomplished through sound University management.

For the next four decades the School continued to evolve. Most of the clinical teaching was provided by volunteer or part-time faculty. The number of full-time faculty in the preclinical area expanded as teaching demands increased, and a more sophisticated curriculum was instituted.

At the end of World War II, active planning for a major change was initiated with the encouragement and assistance of the Mellons, a prominent Pittsburgh family. The University accepted the University Health Center concept and, in 1953, appointed the first vice chancellor of the Schools of the Health Professions. Plans were made to house the Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy in a new building contiguous to the principal teaching hospitals and the Graduate School of Public Health. Under these plans, the medical school would engage a full-time teaching faculty for all departments.

To generate the necessary capital, the University planned a fund drive to raise an endowment. A handsome beginning was made when, by mid-December of 1953, $15 million was assured by grants of $5 million each from the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and the Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation.

The new building, Scaife Hall, was completed in 1956 and vigorous recruitment of additional full-time faculty was begun. With increased facilities and faculty, the School of Medicine began to be recognized as a major center for research in a number of areas. In turn, the faculty of the School attracted appreciable support for research and training from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies. Moreover, the School became assured of financial support for medical education when, in 1967, the University became state related as part of the higher education system of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Today, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine continues to build upon the strong foundation of past leaders and dedicated physicians. Clinical and basic research have grown remarkably and continue to attract support from federal institutions, private foundations, and corporations. The School's faculty is currently ranked among the top 20 nationwide in federal grant and contract support. Innovative ventures, such as a new, expanded MD/PhD program, integrated curriculum, physician-investigator fellowship training program, organ transplant program, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and Pittsburgh NMR Institute, promise to keep the School at the forefront of progress in educational, research, and patient care endeavors.

The University of Pittsburgh, including the School of Medicine, is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association and the Executive Council of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

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