In 1962 a quest began. A dean was needed for a planned medical school in San Diego. This would be the first such institution in San Diego County. The University of California San Diego School of Medicine was born from this ambitious vision. It became the third medical school in the UC system following those established at UCSF and UCLA. The School of Medicine is the only one in the San Diego metropolitan area. It’s closely affiliated with the medical centers that are part of UC San Diego Health.
Joseph Stokes III became the first dean. He was an expert in preventive medicine and cardiovascular epidemiology. Stokes played a crucial role in recruiting leading physician-scientists. He rapidly built the institute’s reputation as an elite medical school. One such recruit was Y C Fung later considered the father of bioengineering. The campus’s existing strengths in biological sciences aided his efforts. Its proximity to the Salk Institute helped too.
The basic science building was the first structure built on the School of Medicine grounds. It sits east of Revelle College north of La Jolla Village Drive. The first class of medical students 39 men and 8 women enrolled in 1968. Construction on the clinical science building and a 100-bed Veterans Administration Hospital were ongoing. Their inaugural class in 1971 achieved the highest score nationally on the National Board of Medical Examiners Step 1 Examination. This catapulted the new school into the national spotlight. The school conferred its first degrees in 1972. Clinical rotations took place at the UC San Diego Medical Center then known as Hillcrest County Hospital.
Research and innovation were early successes. By 1969 UCSD led in pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. In 1972 faculty experimented with early echocardiograms. Helen Ranney joined the faculty in 1973 becoming the first American woman to chair a medical school’s department of medicine. In 1982 UCSD opened one of the first clinics for HIV and AIDS treatment. The UCSD Moores Cancer Center opened in 2005. In 2021 UCSD received 2.6 million dollars to expand its Programs in Medical Education PRIME. This focused on health equity and Indigenous health. The UC San Diego School of Medicine stands as a testament to vision dedication and innovation in medical education. Its legacy continues to shape the future of healthcare.