MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

摘要

MEDICAL EDUCATION in the Northwest had its inception in 1864. Governor A. C. Gibbs and a group of Portland physicians sent a communica. tion to the Board of Trustees of Willamette University requesting that body to organize a medical department in Portland. On February 15, 1865 the Board authorized establishing such a department to be called the "Oregon Medical College" and providing for appointment of the faculty by the Trustees of Willamette University. A faculty consisting of Portland physicians was named but it was found impracticable to establish a school in Portland at the time. The proposal to establish a medical course was revived in June, 1866, and after some negotiations with the officers of the medical department in Portland which had failed to function, instruction was authorized to be given on the campus at Salem. The first course of lectures, given by physicians of Salem and its vicinity, who constituted the new faculty, was begun on March 3, 1867. Twenty-four students enrolled and at Commencement, July 25, 1867, three graduates in Medicine received their diplomas. The Medical Department of Willamette remained at Salem until 1878, operating in a small community under the difficulties of pioneer conditions.