University of Virginia School of Medicine
Encyclopedia
The University of Virginia School of Medicine is a medical school
located in Charlottesville, Virginia
, United States
. The tenth medical school to open in the United States, it has been part of the University of Virginia
since the University's establishment in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson
. The school's facilities are on the University of Virginia Grounds adjacent to the historic Academical Village
, and it shares a close association with the University of Virginia Health System
.
The current dean of the School of Medicine is noted Alzheimer's disease
researcher Dr. Steven T. DeKosky
, formerly of the University of Pittsburgh
. Dr. DeKosky became dean on August 1, 2008, taking over from interim dean Sharon L. Hostler, a specialist in pediatrics.
since its founding by Thomas Jefferson
in 1819, forming a cornerstone of Jefferson's 1814 plan for a school of higher education and in his 1817 bill to the General Assembly which first proposed the idea of a central university at the head of an integrated system of public education across the commonwealth. Jefferson's initial 1818 proposal for the faculty of the University was for a single professor of the theory of medicine and surgery as a science, since at that time Charlottesville was too small to support a general hospital; however, Jefferson planned from the beginning for anatomy to be a key portion of the University curriculum, dedicating a building, the Anatomical Theatre, for the teaching of the subject.
The University
opened for classes in 1825 with eight faculty and sixty-eight students, of whom 20 took classes in the School of Medicine. Jefferson took great pains to recruit the most highly qualified faculty, five of whom were found in England and three in the United States. Robley Dunglison
, who later became Thomas Jefferson's personal physician, was the University's first professor of anatomy and medicine, while John Patton Emmet lectured on biology, chemistry, and comparative anatomy. The anatomical theater was finally approved by the Board of Visitors in 1825 and construction began in 1826 and finished in 1827, allowing medical instruction to take place as originally envisioned by Jefferson.
Jefferson opposed the granting of degrees on the grounds that they were "artificial embellishments." In 1824, however, the Board of Visitors authorized granting the master of arts degree. The M.D. degree was awarded to the first graduates of the School of Medicine in 1829. The bachelor's degree was awarded beginning in 1849, but became the standard undergraduate degree and a prerequisite for the master's degree in 1899, bringing the University into conformity with other institutions of higher learning. The Ph.D. has been awarded since 1883.
In the early years, the School of Medicine faced several attempts to relocate it to Richmond on the grounds that it would benefit from close association with a hospital, the first such attempt occurring in 1834 and the last in 1920; the final attempt was deflected by University professor (and later president) John Lloyd Newcomb
, who said, "Yes, we agree that the Medical School ought to be in Richmond where there are fine clinical facilities; and we also want the Engineering School at Pittsburgh, where there are more factories, and the Modern Language Department in Switzerland, the linguistic capital of the world."
The medical school operated without benefit of access to a hospital until the beginning of the 20th century. Beginning in 1893 the Board of Visitors petitioned the General Assembly for funds to construct a hospital on University grounds, and plans were drafted beginning in 1899. The first (administration) building was opened in 1901 and the flanking pavilions were built in subsequent years. The hospital continued to be expanded throughout the 20th century. (For more information about the hospital, see University of Virginia Health System
.)
UVA is one of just five schools in the mid-Atlantic region, including Johns Hopkins University
, Duke University
, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, to be included in the top 25 in the research category.
and National Academy of Sciences
; three members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
; 12 members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
; five recipients of the Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award; four recipients of the Virginia Outstanding Scientist Award; and two recipients of the Virginia Life Achievement Award in Science.
, two-time Hermann Trophy
winner and former UVA Soccer midfielder. Fisher was chosen second overall in the 1997 MLS College Draft
, but instead decided to enroll in the School of Medicine.
Walter Reed
, physician and discoverer of the yellow fever
vaccine.
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
located in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The tenth medical school to open in the United States, it has been part of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
since the University's establishment in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. The school's facilities are on the University of Virginia Grounds adjacent to the historic Academical Village
The Lawn
The Lawn is a large, terraced grassy court at the historic center of Jefferson's academic community at the University of Virginia. The design shows Jefferson's mastery of Palladian architecture...
, and it shares a close association with the University of Virginia Health System
University of Virginia Health System
The University of Virginia Health System is a nationally renowned healthcare provider based in Charlottesville, Virginia and associated with the University of Virginia. The health system includes a medical center, school of medicine and health sciences library...
.
The current dean of the School of Medicine is noted Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
researcher Dr. Steven T. DeKosky
Steven T. DeKosky
Steven T. DeKosky is a medical researcher and academic known for his work in the field of Alzheimer's disease. DeKosky has served as professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh...
, formerly of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. Dr. DeKosky became dean on August 1, 2008, taking over from interim dean Sharon L. Hostler, a specialist in pediatrics.
History
Medical education was one of the fields of study at the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
since its founding by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in 1819, forming a cornerstone of Jefferson's 1814 plan for a school of higher education and in his 1817 bill to the General Assembly which first proposed the idea of a central university at the head of an integrated system of public education across the commonwealth. Jefferson's initial 1818 proposal for the faculty of the University was for a single professor of the theory of medicine and surgery as a science, since at that time Charlottesville was too small to support a general hospital; however, Jefferson planned from the beginning for anatomy to be a key portion of the University curriculum, dedicating a building, the Anatomical Theatre, for the teaching of the subject.
The University
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
opened for classes in 1825 with eight faculty and sixty-eight students, of whom 20 took classes in the School of Medicine. Jefferson took great pains to recruit the most highly qualified faculty, five of whom were found in England and three in the United States. Robley Dunglison
Robley Dunglison
Robley Dunglison was an English physician who moved to America to join the first faculty of the University of Virginia. He was personal physician to Thomas Jefferson and considered the "Father of American Physiology".-Biography:...
, who later became Thomas Jefferson's personal physician, was the University's first professor of anatomy and medicine, while John Patton Emmet lectured on biology, chemistry, and comparative anatomy. The anatomical theater was finally approved by the Board of Visitors in 1825 and construction began in 1826 and finished in 1827, allowing medical instruction to take place as originally envisioned by Jefferson.
In the early years, the School of Medicine faced several attempts to relocate it to Richmond on the grounds that it would benefit from close association with a hospital, the first such attempt occurring in 1834 and the last in 1920; the final attempt was deflected by University professor (and later president) John Lloyd Newcomb
John Lloyd Newcomb
John Lloyd Newcomb was an American educator. He served as the second president of the University of Virginia, ascending to the position after the death of Edwin Alderman...
, who said, "Yes, we agree that the Medical School ought to be in Richmond where there are fine clinical facilities; and we also want the Engineering School at Pittsburgh, where there are more factories, and the Modern Language Department in Switzerland, the linguistic capital of the world."
The medical school operated without benefit of access to a hospital until the beginning of the 20th century. Beginning in 1893 the Board of Visitors petitioned the General Assembly for funds to construct a hospital on University grounds, and plans were drafted beginning in 1899. The first (administration) building was opened in 1901 and the flanking pavilions were built in subsequent years. The hospital continued to be expanded throughout the 20th century. (For more information about the hospital, see University of Virginia Health System
University of Virginia Health System
The University of Virginia Health System is a nationally renowned healthcare provider based in Charlottesville, Virginia and associated with the University of Virginia. The health system includes a medical center, school of medicine and health sciences library...
.)
Reputation
In 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked the UVA School of Medicine at No. 22 for research and No. 20 for primary care. The school was ranked #9 among public U.S. medical schools.UVA is one of just five schools in the mid-Atlantic region, including Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, to be included in the top 25 in the research category.
Departments
| Department | Chair | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics | Anindya Dutta, MD, PhD | Basic Science |
| Biomedical Engineering | Frederick H. Epstein, PhD | Basic Science |
| Cell Biology | Barry M. Gumbiner, PhD | Basic Science |
| Microbiology | J. Thomas Parsons, PhD | Basic Science |
| Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics | Howard C. Kutchai, PhD (acting) | Basic Science |
| Neuroscience | Kevin S. Lee, PhD | Basic Science |
| Pharmacology | James C. Garrison, PhD | Basic Science |
| Anesthesiology | George F. Rich, MD, PhD | Clinical |
| Dentistry | Thomas E. Leinbach, DDS | Clinical |
| Dermatology | Thomas G. Cropley, MD | Clinical |
| Emergency Medicine | Robert E. O'Connor, MD, MPH | Clinical |
| Family Medicine | Sim S. Galazka, MD | Clinical |
| Internal Medicine | Mitchell Rosner, MD | Clinical |
| Neurological Surgery | Mark E. Shaffrey, MD | Clinical |
| Neurology | G. Frederick Wooten, Jr., MD | Clinical |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | William N.P. Herbert, MD | Clinical |
| Ophthalmology | Peter Netland, MD | Clinical |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | Cato T. Laurencin Cato T. Laurencin Cato T. Laurencin , a professor and a surgeon, is the outgoing Dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Connecticut.... , MD, PhD |
Clinical |
| Otolaryngology | Paul A. Levine, MD | Clinical |
| Pathology | Dennis J. Templeton, MD, PhD | Clinical |
| Pediatrics | Robert L. Chevalier, MD | Clinical |
| Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | D. Casey Kerrigan, MD | Clinical |
| Plastic & Maxillofacial Surgery | Raymond F. Morgan, MD, DMD | Clinical |
| Psychiatric Medicine | Bankole Johnson Bankole Johnson Bankole A. Johnson, DSc, MD, PhD, MPhil, FRCPsych is a licensed physician and board-certified psychiatrist throughout Europe and the United States who currently serves as Alumni Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia... , MD, PhD |
Clinical |
| Public Health Sciences | Robert E. Reynolds, MD (acting) | Clinical |
| Radiology | Michael D. Dake, MD | Clinical |
| Surgery | Irving L. Kron, MD | Clinical |
| Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology | James M. Larner, MD | Clinical |
| Urology | William D. Steers, MD | Clinical |
Notable faculty
The faculty of the School of Medicine are recognized nationally and internationally. The faculty includes 15 members of the Institute of MedicineInstitute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970, under the congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences...
and National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
; three members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
; 12 members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
; five recipients of the Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award; four recipients of the Virginia Outstanding Scientist Award; and two recipients of the Virginia Life Achievement Award in Science.
Notable alumni
Mike FisherMike Fisher (soccer)
Mike Fisher is a former U.S. collegiate soccer midfielder. After graduating from the University of Virginia, Fisher chose to pursue a medical rather than soccer career....
, two-time Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
winner and former UVA Soccer midfielder. Fisher was chosen second overall in the 1997 MLS College Draft
1997 MLS College Draft
The 1997 Major League Soccer College Draft.On February 1 and 2, 1997, Major League Soccer held its second annual college draft in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The draft was held in conjunction with the Umbro Select College All-Star Classic. The game was played on Saturday, February 1, 1997 at...
, but instead decided to enroll in the School of Medicine.
Walter Reed
Walter Reed
Major Walter Reed, M.D., was a U.S. Army physician who in 1900 led the team that postulated and confirmed the theory that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species, rather than by direct contact...
, physician and discoverer of the yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
vaccine.
External links
- School of Medicine Home Page
- Admissions Office
- About the SOM
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Programs
- Clinical Residencies & Fellowship
- Graduate Medical Education
- Financial Aid Office
- Continuing Medical Education
- Research Core Facilities, Institutes, Centers, & Other Programs
- School of Medicine Factbook