History & Mission
Our history
The University of Louisville School of Medicine has a rich heritage as one of the nation’s oldest medical schools, deeply rooted in service, innovation and clinical excellence.
The institution traces its origins to 1833 when the Louisville Common Council authorized the creation of a medical college to meet the needs of a rapidly growing river city. Four years later, in 1837, the Louisville Medical Institute opened its doors with seven faculty members and 80 students on the corner of Eighth and Chestnut streets. Instruction was grounded in practical experience with early clinical training taking place at the Louisville City Hospital, anchoring the school’s longstanding emphasis on hands-on training.
In 1841 Samuel D. Gross, a professor of surgery, set up one of the country's first surgical laboratories, which was used for the study of wounds in dog intestines. The school's medical practitioners then applied information gleaned from such research to the care of patients.
In 1846, the Louisville Medical Institute became the Medical Department of the University of Louisville, strengthening its academic foundation and expanding its role within the city. Over the next several decades, the school absorbed or merged with several other local medical institutions to help unify medical education in Louisville and broaden the school’s academic and clinical scope.
Some of the brightest medical minds of the day taught in the halls of Eighth and Chestnut streets and in the wards of the City Hospital. Physicians such as Daniel Drake, J. Lawrence Smith, Benajmin Silliman, Charles Wilkins Short and David Wendell Yandell forged a national reputation for the school.
On Dec. 31, 1856, the institute's Greek Revival structure was destroyed by fire. Thankfully, the library and its prized contents were saved. A new building was constructed almost immediately and was ready for occupancy in 1857. The history of the structure known now as the "Old Medical School" began in April 1891 when a tract of land on the corner of First and Chestnut streets was deeded to rival Louisville Medical College. The University of Louisville acquired the building when it absorbed Louisville Medical College in 1908.
As medicine evolved in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the School of Medicine adapted alongside it. Under the leadership of Dean James M. Bodine, reforms inspired by the Flexner Report emphasized laboratory science, research and hospital-based instruction were instilled at the university. These changes aligned the institution with emerging national standards and reinforced its role in advancing modern medical education.
About this time the hospital began "accident service" when, in 1911, the facility launched the nation's first trauma care center. Dr. R. Arnold Griswold refined this innovation in the 1930s and '40s with a network that served as the forerunner of Louisville's modern Emergency Medical Service and the UofL Trauma Center.
During World War II the school negotiated a contract with the Federal government to educate students for the armed forces' medical corps. Throughout much of the 1940s, the school year consisted of two 16-week semesters, with a new class entering every nine months. New courses of instruction were introduced for orientation to military medicine, and the institution's facilities and energies were severely stretched.
These chapters in the school's history also were marked by great productivity as the school continued to extend its emphasis on hands-on clinical instruction and a growing list of specialty training programs. Then, as in every era, memorable men and women were part of the school's history. Among them were John Walker Moore, dean from 1929 to 1949; Sidney I. Kornhauser, chair of the anatomy department from 1922 to 1958; and neurosurgeon R. Glen Spurling.
A period of major growth occurred in the mid-20th century as the school expanded its academic programs, research enterprise and clinical partnerships. The development of the Health Sciences Center in the 1960s marked a defining moment, bringing medical education, research and clinical care together on a modern campus. The expansion positioned the school to support complex education and research initiatives.
Throughout the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, the University of Louisville School of Medicine became nationally recognized for leadership in areas such as trauma care, organ transplantation, cardiovascular medicine and surgical innovation. The school completed the nation’s first successful hand transplant surgery and expanded groundbreaking work in artificial heart transplants. At the same time, it remained deeply committed to educating physicians who serve communities across Kentucky and the region.
Today, the School of Medicine builds on nearly two centuries of history. Under the leadership of Jeffrey M. Bumpous, the school continues to educate some of the nation’s finest medical physicians. As part of an integrated academic health system, it continues to advance discovery, train future physicians and scientists and improve health outcomes — honoring its past while shaping the future of medicine.
Our Vision
Shape tomorrow’s health professions and biomedical research workforce to lead with innovation, respond to evolving health challenges, and transform care across communities.
Our Mission
Educate – Discover – Heal: Scaling our impact to revitalize the health of Kentuckiana and beyond.
Who We Serve
The University of Louisville School of Medicine serves patients, learners, and communities across Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and the region. We provide compassionate, high-quality care, educate the next generation of physicians and scientists and partner with communities to address evolving health needs.
Through discovery, innovation and hands-on clinical training, we advance medicine while improving health outcomes locally and beyond — fulfilling our mission to educate, discover and heal.