GENERAL - Founded November 5, 1838 as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney. The First Dean was Dr. Augustus Warner, who left UVA's medical school to begin a new medical school because he didn't like Jefferson's philosophy that Professors shouldn't corrupt their teaching by making money caring for patients.

There were 46 students in the first class and tuition was $20 for each of the six courses. The term of medical study was four months. The Old Union Hotel was converted into medical classrooms.

MCV is the only medical school in the South still in existence today which graduated a class during all four years of the civil war.

EGYPTIAN BUILDING - The first medical classes were held here in 1845. This is the oldest university building in the country still used for its original purpose. This building has had many looks. From 1905-1938, the building was covered with Ivy.

MEDICAL SCIENCES BUILDING - Facing the oldest building on campus is the newest. You will notice the Egyptian design elements. This nine story, 24.8 million dollar building was dedicated in 1997. This building was constructed on the site of the former Dooley and St. Phillip's Hospitals and you may not have heard that as construction began, workers uncovered a shaft full of human bones. The well-preserved bones as well as some scientific equipment were submerged in water, which had been located in a well. The equipment and remains from more than 50 corpses may date as far back as 1840.

THE GATEWAY BUILDING - Ground was broken at the site of the old "Skull and Bones" in September of 1999 for this $39 million structure that is sure to transform the campus when it is completed. This building will serve as the hospital's central entrance and will link the outpatient and inpatient areas of care. The clinical facilities to be housed in this building include: an outpatient testing center, a short-stay recovery area, treatment areas for minimally invasive surgery, surgical pathology, pulmonary function, echocardiography and cardiac electrophysiology; a mammography area; and endoscopy, dialysis and transplant suites. Other highlights will include a telemedicine site, a 200-seat auditorium, a food court, and a circular drive for patient pick-up and valet service.

MASSEY CANCER CENTER - This opened in 1983 as an $8 million project. Its first Director was Dr. Walter Lawrence, a surgeon, a former President of the American Cancer Society, and CHAIR of the Medical School Admissions Committee. A $41 million campaign will soon be launched to bolster the cancer center's research efforts and facilities.

MAIN HOSPITAL - This opened in 1982 as a 14 story, 539 bed hospital following a $60 million construction project.

THE THOMAS HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE UNIT - this unit opened in February of 2000 on the fourth floor of North Hospital. It is an 11-bed facility designed to provide comprehensive care for terminally ill patients. The unit is designed to provide care focusing on the patient's quality of life - emphasizing comfort rather than cure. There is an outpatient treatment area, a family lounge with a fully equipped kitchen, sleeping accommodations for relatives, and a play area for children.

THE GUMENICK SUITES - a home away home for patients (permission from the attending physician must be given) and their families located on Main Hospital, ninth floor, east wing. This is a 6-suite unit offering a different menu and a number of amenities. This was funded with a $1 million gift from the Gumenick family and patients must also pay an additional amount per night.

A.D. WILLIAMS CLINICS - This opened in 1938 to provide needed clinical space, basic science labs, and classrooms. It was made possible by a gift from a friend and patient of Dr. Stuart McGuire, A.D. Williams.

WEST HOSPITAL - Constructed as a state of the art, 600-bed hospital in 1940. Considered one of the best examples of neoclassical architecture in the country. At the time it was built, it was the second tallest building in Virginia.

HUNTON HALL- This former church, First Baptist, was acquired by MCV in 1938. It houses a student lounge for the medical campus.

SANGER HALL - Opened in 1963 as the medical education building; it was named for Dr. Sanger, MCV's first full-time administrator to serve as President of MCV from 1925 to 1956.

NELSON CLINIC - Outpatient clinics/Building named for Dr. Kinloch Nelson, Dean of Medicine from 1963-1971.

AMBULATORY CARE CENTER - Newest Outpatient Care Center. This building opened in the spring of 1995. Built by MCV Hospitals, it handles over 100,000 patient visits per year. This 7-floor, state of the art facility includes private clinics for Internal Medicine, Neuroscience, and the Ambulatory Surgery Center.

MCV ALUMNI HOUSE AND CONFERENCE CENTER - Originally located at 1105 East Clay Street, this Greek Revival house was built in 1846 by Dr. Socrates Maupin, a founding faculty member of MCV. Dr. Maupin subsequently sold the house to Robert H. Maury. It was during an 1861 visit with his cousin, Robert, that Matthew Fontaine Maury conducted the now famed bathtub experiments that led to the development of the underwater torpedo. The MCV Alumni Association purchased the Maupin-Maury House in 1943 and in 1993 renovated and relocated the house to 1016 East Clay Street. The renovation and addition were funded completely through private gifts. The Alumni Association is located on the ground floor and the School of Medicine Development office is located on the 3rd floor.

THE VIRGINIA BIOTECHNOLOGY PARK - Ground was broken for this complex in May of 1994. The 23-acre research park is forecast to generate $180 million in new construction and provide more than 3,000 jobs during the next 15 years. Drawing on the resources of the MCV campus, the Research Park provides an ideal setting for private companies wanting a mid-Atlantic location. The result is a unique scientific-entrepreneurial community that fosters a bench-to-bedside approach to research, discovery, and development in the life sciences.

TOMPKINS-McCAW LIBRARY - (Archives collection is here if you want to learn more about MCV'S history) The state appropriated money for this building in 1930. One of the building's namesakes, Dr. James B. McCaw, an MCV Chemistry Professor, organized the Chimborazo Hospital, one of the largest Military Hospitals ever operated with over 76,000 patients cared for during the four years of the Civil War.

McGUIRE HALL - This building was built by the University College of Medicine in 1912 to honor UCM's founder, Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire (whose great grandson is Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, Jr., the retiring Chief of Surgery at the McGuire VA Hospital in Richmond) UCM opened its doors only 3 blocks from MCV and competed with MCV for 20 years before merging with MCV in 1913. Dr. Hunter McGuire's son, Stuart, was named the first Dean of Medicine of the newly merged schools and one year later was appointed President.

A few other facts:

1947- Dr. Everett Evans established the country's first civilian burn unit.

1956- Dr. David Hume was recruited to MCV as Chairman of Surgery; he pioneered the Organ transplant program at MCV. While still at Harvard, he performed the world's first kidney transplant. He performed Virginia's first kidney transplant as well. Dr. Hume died tragically in a plane crash in 1973.

Recruited by David Hume, Dr. Richard Lower pioneered the techniques for heart transplantation. In 1966, Dr. Christiaan Barnard spent four months in Dr. Lower's lab, returned to South Africa, and performed the world's first heart transplant in 1967. Dr. Lower should have been first but the team was slowed by questions about procedure. In 1968, Dr. Lower performed VA's first heart transplant and the ninth one in the country.

In 1980, alumnus, Baruj Benacerraf, won the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology.