Editing Perelman School of Medicine (section)

== History ==

Dr. John Morgan and Dr. William Shippen Jr. established the Medical Department of the College of Philadelphia in 1765, creating the colonies' first medical school. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration of Independence and influential physician, joined the faculty and shaped early American medical education through his teaching and writings. The school produced generations of physicians who practiced throughout the growing nation, establishing patterns for medical education that influenced subsequent American medical schools.<ref name="perelman"/>

The school's evolution through centuries of medical advancement included development of clinical training at Pennsylvania Hospital and later Penn Medicine facilities, research programs that have produced transformative discoveries, and educational innovations that shaped medical training nationwide. The 2011 naming gift from Raymond and Ruth Perelman provided resources supporting continued advancement while honoring the family's long connection to Penn Medicine.<ref name="perelman"/>