University of Oregon Medical School records, 1894-1956

Medical school instruction began in Portland in 1887 in a state of confusion with competition between medical departments of state universities as well as third party contenders. The unification of the medicals schools of Willamette University and the University of Oregon in 1913 began a slow but steady expansion from downtown Portland to the Marquam Hill, thanks to a land donation by the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company. The exigencies of World War I brought with it unprecedented demands on staff and students for war-time service at home and abroad. This led not only to the creation of Base Hospital 46 for service in France, but also the creation of a Medical Reserve for the Army Medical Corps and of a Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program as a permanent part of the institution. Despite post-war economic retrenchments in budgets, construction programs continued apace, and periodical reorganizations achieved ever greater levels of sophistication.

This collection brings a wide variety of information; from first faculty lists and a fascinating early catalog advertising itself as the Oregon State University Medical Department for 1887-1888 to campus bus schedules.