Perelman School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is America's first medical school, founded in 1765 as the Medical Department of the College of Philadelphia. Located in University City, the school trains physicians, scientists, and healthcare leaders through programs that consistently rank among the nation's best, while affiliated hospitals and research facilities advance medical knowledge and provide clinical care. The school's historical significance as the birthplace of American medical education combines with contemporary excellence in research, clinical care, and education.[1]
History
[edit | edit source]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.[1]
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.[1]
Academic Programs
[edit | edit source]The Perelman School offers MD, MD-PhD, and graduate programs training physicians and physician-scientists. The medical curriculum integrates basic science, clinical experience, and emerging areas including healthcare policy, global health, and medical informatics. Students complete clinical rotations at Penn Medicine facilities throughout the Philadelphia region, gaining experience across specialties and settings before choosing residency paths.[1]
Graduate programs in biomedical sciences train researchers whose work advances understanding of disease and treatment. The MD-PhD program produces physician-scientists who combine clinical care with research, addressing questions at the intersection of bench and bedside. These training programs benefit from Penn Medicine's substantial research enterprise, with students working alongside faculty whose work shapes multiple fields.[1]
Research
[edit | edit source]Perelman faculty conduct research generating over $900 million in annual funding, supporting investigations from molecular biology to population health. Research strengths include cancer (through the Abramson Cancer Center), cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, immunology, and gene therapy, where Penn researchers have pioneered approaches including CAR-T cell therapy. Research discoveries have produced multiple approved treatments and fundamentally advanced understanding of disease processes.[1]
The school's research enterprise integrates with clinical care through translational programs that move discoveries from laboratory to patient. Clinical trials enroll thousands of patients in studies evaluating new treatments, while research findings inform care throughout Penn Medicine's clinical network. This integration of research and care distinguishes academic medical centers from community hospitals while generating advances that eventually benefit patients everywhere.[1]
Clinical Enterprise
[edit | edit source]Penn Medicine operates hospitals and clinical facilities throughout the Philadelphia region, providing care while supporting education and research. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and other facilities offer specialty and community care to hundreds of thousands of patients annually. The clinical enterprise employs over 40,000 people, making Penn Medicine one of the region's largest employers while providing training sites for students and residents.[1]
Clinical excellence in specialties from organ transplantation to neurosurgery to cancer care draws patients from throughout the nation and world. Penn Medicine's integration of research, education, and clinical care creates environment where patients benefit from latest advances while contributing to future discoveries. This academic medical center model produces both excellent care and knowledge that improves care worldwide.[1]
See Also
[edit | edit source]- University of Pennsylvania
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
- Benjamin Rush
- Penn Medicine
- Medical Education in Philadelphia