Chronology of the Stanford University Medical Center

1858

Stanford University School of Medicine traces its origin to the first medical school on the Pacific Coast, founded in San Francisco by Dr. Elias Samuel Cooper (1820-1862) as the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific on 22 September 1858. The University of the Pacific is the oldest college chartered by the State of California. It was founded in 1851 and located at that time in Santa Clara; it moves to San Jose in 1871, and from there to Stockton in 1921.

1859

The first session of the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific is opened on 5 May 1859 with formal ceremonies, and the matriculation of 13 students. The first session ends on 13 September 1859 when the degree of Doctor of Medicine is conferred on two graduates.

1861

Dr. Levi Cooper Lane (1828-1902), nephew of Dr. Cooper, joins the faculty of the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific.

1862

Dr. Elias Samuel Cooper dies.

1864

Operation of the Medical Department is suspended temporarily (1864-1870) when the Toland Medical College, later to become the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, is opened. Some faculty from the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific (including Dr. Lane) join the Toland School, a move they soon regret.

1870

Dr. Lane and his close associates resign from the Toland Medical College and reorganize the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific. Dr. Henry Gibbons, Jr., (1840-1911) is appointed Dean, a position which he holds for 41 years (1870-1911). He receives his M.D. degree from the Medical Department of the University of the Pacific in 1863.

1872

Faculty of the Medical Department arranges an amicable transfer of the school from the University of the Pacific to University (City) College in San Francisco in order to gain access to better classroom facilities. The school then becomes known as the Medical College of the Pacific.

1882

Dr. Lane donates to the school an impressive new building, constructed with his own private funds, at the corner of Sacramento and Webster Streets in San Francisco. That building, said to have no superior in the world for medical education, is in continuous use as a medical school for 76 years (1883-1959). The name of the school is changed from the Medical College of the Pacific to Cooper Medical College in honor of Dr. Lane's uncle, Dr. Elias Samuel Cooper.

1883

First Annual Session of Cooper Medical College.

1885

Stanford University is founded.

1890

A handsome new addition, the same size as the original medical school building, was constructed at Dr. Lane's expense to include lecture halls, laboratories and other facilities.

1891

Stanford University opens.

1895

Lane Hospital, constructed during 1893 and 1894 at Clay and Webster Streets adjacent to the medical school, is inaugurated. Funds for the land and building are provided by various donors, the major contributor being Dr. Lane who at this time establishes the Lane Hospital Training School for Nurses, later to become the Stanford School of Nursing.

1902

Dr. Levi Cooper Lane dies.

1908

Stanford University accepts the Cooper Medical College, and its properties and equipment in San Francisco, as a grant from the Board of Directors of the College. The College becomes the Medical Department of Stanford University which thus acquired, not without some misgivings, an operational medical school. Dr. David Starr Jordan (1851-1931) is President of the University at the time. Some basic science courses are taught on the campus and others in the San Francisco facilities where the clinical program continues.

1909

The first class of students enters the Medical Department of Stanford University in September 1909, and the last class of Cooper Medical College students graduates in May 1912. During this three year interval the Cooper Medical College is phased out to be superseded by the Stanford Medical Department, now the School of Medicine. Professor John Maxwell Stillman (Chemistry) is appointed as the first Executive Head (Dean) of the Stanford Medical Department. He serves in this capacity during the 1909-1910 academic year and the first half of 1910-1911.

1911

Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur (1875-1949) becomes Executive Head (Dean) of the Medical Department of Stanford University, succeeding Professor J. M. Stillman on 1 January 1911. Dr. Wilbur graduates from Stanford with A.B. in 1896 and A.M. in 1897, and from Cooper Medical College with M.D. degree in 1899. He serves as Executive Head (Dean) of the Stanford Medical Department (1911-1916) until elected President of Stanford University (1916-1943). Dr. Henry Gibbons, Jr., continues as Dean of Cooper Medical College until 1911, the year of his death on 27 September.

1912

Cooper Medical College is phased out with the award of the M.D. degree to a final class of 36 students on May 9th. Lane Hospital with all of Cooper Medical College properties is conveyed to Leland Stanford Jr. University on July 1st. Lane Medical Library, the finest medical collection west of Chicago, is dedicated on November 3rd. It moves into an imposing new building at the corner of Webster and Sacramento Streets in San Francisco, construction financed with funds advanced by Stanford University and a gift from Cooper Medical College reserves.

1916

Dr. William Ophüls (1871-1933) succeeds Dr. Wilbur as Dean and serves from 1916 to 1933.

1917

Stanford University Hospital, constructed on Clay Street adjoining the Lane Hospital, is opened to meet the need for additional beds and clinical teaching facilities. The complex consisting of Lane Hospital and Stanford University Hospital is referred to as Stanford University Hospitals.

1919

Stanford Home for Convalescent Children ("Con Home") is founded.

1933

Dr. Loren Roscoe Chandler (1895-1982) succeeds Dr. Ophüls as Dean and serves from 1933 to 1953.

1953

Stanford's Board of Trustees decides to move the Medical School from San Francisco to the Campus. Dr. J. E. Wallace Sterling (1906-1985) is President of the University at the time. Dr. Windsor Cutting (1907-1972) is appointed Dean to succeed Dr. Chandler. Dr. Cutting serves from 1953 to 1957.

1957

Dr. Robert H. Alway (1912-1990) is appointed Acting Dean in 1957 and Dean in 1958. He serves until 1964 when he is followed by Dr. Sidney Raffel as Acting Dean in 1964-1965 and Dr. Robert J. Glaser as Dean in 1965.

1959

Palo Alto-Stanford Hospital Center (School of Medicine, Stanford Clinics and Palo Alto-Stanford Hospital) opens on the Campus and the teaching, research and clinical programs in San Francisco are transferred to these new facilities. Palo Alto-Stanford Hospital is jointly financed by the University and the City of Palo Alto for the purpose of securing teaching, research and clinical resources for the University, and hospital beds for Palo Alto patients.

1965

Dr. Robert J. Glaser is appointed Dean and Vice President for Medical Affairs to succeed Dr. Alway and serves from 1965 to 1970. Dr. John L. Wilson is Acting Dean in 1970-1971.

1968

Stanford University purchases the City of Palo Alto's entire interest in the Hospital properties and facilities and its membership in the Hospital corporation. The hospital is renamed Stanford University Hospital.

1970

Children's facility is renamed Children's Hospital at Stanford in recognition of its expanded roles in teaching and research.

1971

Dr. Clayton Rich is appointed Dean and Vice President for Medical Affairs to succeed Dr. Glaser and serves from 1971 to 1978.

1971-1989

Facilities (costing over $ 0.5 million each) built during this period are:

1971

Psychiatry Clinic Building [view photo]

1976

Louis B. Mayer Cancer Biology Research Laboratory [view photo]

1976

Sherman Fairchild Science Building and Auditorium [view photo]

1977

Hospital Core Expansion with 24 beds (Intensive Care)

1984

Falk Cardiovascular Research Center

1985

Research Animal Facility #1

1986

Medical School Office Building [view photo]

1989

Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine [view photo]

1989

Diagnosis and Treatment Center with 340 beds

1989

Research Animal Facility #2

1979-1985

Dr. Lawrence G. Crowley holds the following appointments:

Acting Dean, 1 January 1979 - 31 December 1981

Acting Vice President for Medical Affairs, 1 January 1979 - 8 September 1980

Vice President for Medical Affairs, 9 September 1980 - 31 December 1985

1980

Children's Hospital at Stanford opens a new wing, consolidating all pediatric outpatient services of Stanford University Medical Center.

1982

Stanford University Hospital embarks on a major modernization program to upgrade and expand facilities; agreement is signed with Children's Hospital at Stanford for consolidation of all pediatric services in the new Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

1982-1984

Dr. Dominick P. Purpura holds the following appointment:

Dean and Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs, 1 January 1982 - 31 August 1984

1983

Outpatient clinics is renamed Stanford University Clinic.

1984-1995

Dr. David Korn holds the following appointments:

Dean, 9 October 1984 - 31 March 1995

Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs, 9 October 1984 - 31 December 1985

Vice President, 1 January 1986 - 31 April 1995

1985

Stanford University Clinic is remodeled and modernized.

1987

Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine is named in honor of philanthropists Arnold and Mabel Beckman.

1988

Ground is broken for the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

1989

Stanford University Hospital opens new wing, the first major modernization project since 1959.

1989

Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine opens.

1991

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford opens.

1992

Richard M. Lucas Center for Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging opens.

1992

New 780-space parking garage opens at Stanford University Medical Center.

1993

Stanford University Clinic opens new outpatient building on Blake Wilbur Drive.

1993

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences opens new building on Quarry Road.

1994

Creation of Stanford Health Services through the merger of Stanford University Hospital and Stanford University Clinic.

1995-2001

Dr. Eugene A. Bauer receives the following appointment:

Dean, 1 April 1995 - 31 March 2001

1997

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford board of directors transfers control of the facility to Stanford Health Services; Packard Children's Hospital remains a separately licensed nonprofit corporation.

1997

Ground is broken for the new Center for Clinical Sciences Research (CCSR).

1997

The University of California-San Francisco Medical Center and UCSF/Mount Zion Medical Center merge with Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital to create UCSF Stanford Health Care, a private nonprofit organization.

1999

Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital return to independent status with the end of the two-year merger with UCSF Medical Center.

2000

Center for Clinical Sciences Research (CCSR) building opens.

2001

Ground is broken and construction begins for new Clark Center (Bio-X) building.

2001

Ground is broken for new cancer center.

2001-

Dr. Philip A. Pizzo receives the following appointment:

Dean, 1 April 2001 -

2002

The Stanford Institute for Cancer/Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, a multidisciplinary effort to develop novel treatments for cancer and other diseases, is created.

2003

The Clark Center (Bio-X) building and the underground parking garage on Pasteur Drive open.

2004

Stanford Cancer Center opens.

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Breakthroughs, 1956-2005

Scores of groundbreaking technologies and treatments have their roots at the medical center.