UAMS Historical Timeline

1879
In 1879, eight physicians each invested $625 to secure the charter from Arkansas Industrial University (which later became the University of Arkansas). Together, they purchased the first physical facilities, the Sperindio Restaurant and Hotel located at 113 West Second Street, for $5,000. The school opened on October 7, 1879 with 22 students. In 1880, Dr. Tom Pinson became the first graduate of the Medical Department program.

1890
In 1890, enrollment increased to eighty new students a year. A new three-story building with a lecture room and classrooms was designed, with plans to build it on Sherman Street at its northeastern intersection with East Second Street. In 1892, a bequest from Isaac Folsom of Lonoke, Ark. established the Isaac Folsom Clinic, a free clinic for indigent patients. The clinic included exam rooms, a tuberculosis clinic, a pharmacy and an operating and recovery room, as well as clinical laboratories, an amphitheater and offices for the dean and registrar. In 1899, the clinic's name changed to the University of Arkansas Medical Department.

1900
Dr. Anna A. Shoppach became the first female UA Medical Department graduate in 1901. In 1909, the UA School of Medicine's football team, the Medics, won the state championship.

1910
In 1910, the Carnegie Foundation report called for improvements in the nation's medical schools and the American Medical Association's Council on Education adopted accreditation requirements. The University of Arkansas officially assumed direction of the medical department on July 5, 1911. Also in 1911, the medical department and College of Physicians and Surgeons merged into one school. The year 1912 saw the completion of a new State Capitol, and the old State Capitol Building on Markham and Center streets was assigned to the medical school by the state legislature. From 1913 to 1915, the legislature acknowledged financial responsibility and appropriated $35,000 to fund the biennium.

In 1917, Mollie King became the first full-time female faculty member. In that same year, the Isaac Folsom Clinic relocated next to the School of Medicine to help provide patients for the School of Medicine students. Half of the funding for the new building was supplied by the Isaac Folsom bequest. The United States entered World War I, which depleted faculty numbers and drastically reduced enrollment, putting the medical school's survival at stake.

1920
The new City Hospital was completed in 1921, and the medical school regained its accreditation. In the same year, the Old State Capitol was renamed the Arkansas State War Memorial by the state legislature. Courses in medical technology are offered by faculty of the School of Medicine in 1924. In 1929, the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression changed the economy of the entire nation.

1930
In 1931, the state legislature appropriated $275,000 for a new medical school building. The architect and site were selected; however, bonds that would provide funding for the project never sold. President Franklin Roosevelt's Public Works Administration began in 1933, and U.S. Senator Joseph T. Robinson encouraged building plans. In 1934, a gift of $500,000 reactivated plans for a new medical facility, which united the School of Medicine and the Isaac Folsom Clinic at a single site. Also in 1934, construction began on the building facing McAlmont Street between the City Hospital and the Carle Bentley home. In 1935, the new medical facility was complete. It accommodated 300 students on six floors and was linked with City Hospital. The Arkansas legislature assessed a new tax on beer and liquor in 1939 to fund appropriations for the School of Medicine.

1940
In 1940, a two story connection was established between the medical school facility and City Hospital. It included a waiting room for outpatients and hospital admissions, two emergency rooms, a clinical laboratory, a blood bank, an instrumentation room and a pediatrics department. Dr. W.C. Langston initiated the concept of a medical center, which began to take shape.

In 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the the University of Arkansas School of Medicine blood bank was established. During 1942 and 1943, over one-third of the part-time faculty at the School of Medicine were on active duty with the military. The Division of the University of Arkansas Graduate School was established on the McAlmont campus at this time, and the first graduate program, which offered a master's degree in biochemistry, was established in Little Rock. The Blood Bank expanded to serve the entire state in 1943.

In 1944, City Hospital was renamed University Hospital. The Medical Illustration Department was created in the Department of Anatomy in 1947. The first African American student, Edith Irby, was admitted to the School of Medicine in 1948. During that same year, the first issue of the R.O.T.C.-sponsored student newspaper, The Medico, was published.

1950
In 1950, a twenty-six acre tract of land on West Markham Street was formally deeded to the university by the State Hospital. That tract of land would see a great degree of development over the next fifty years. Commencement was held in Little Rock for the first time that year, instead of in Fayetteville.

In 1951, Governor Sid McMath and Senator Ellis Fagan convinced the legislature to appropriate $7.4 million for the university, using a newly passed 2-cent cigarette tax. Ground was broken for the new University Hospital in West Little Rock, the School of Pharmacy was established, and the first outpatient chemotherapy in the state was administered. The first School of Pharmacy graduation was held in 1952, and the School of Nursing was established in 1953.

In 1954, funds for a new educational building became available. Building plans included accommodations for the School of Nursing, the Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, Physiology/Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Anatomy; animal housing; a library and an auditorium. Distance learning gained a foothold in Arkansas when a black and white closed circuit TV was used for teaching in obstetrics/gynecology.

In 1955, the first class of the new School of Nursing arrived - all eight of them. The first class graduated in 1957.

UAMC moved to the West Markham campus in 1956. Unfortunately, patient rooms were not air conditioned until 1966.

In 1957, federal loan funds were secured and construction began on a new student residence building and student union. Dr. Jeff Banks died that year, and the student union building was named in his honor. The Education Building I was completed, the first open heart surgery in Arkansas was performed by Dr. Masuki Hara at UAMC, and the Central High Crisis occurred.

In 1958, the School of Pharmacy moved to the Education Building I, an inpatient unit for adult psychiatric patients opened, and the School of Nursing became the first in Arkansas to be fully accredited by the NLN.

1960
In 1960, the Jeff Banks Student Union and Residence Building opened, Dr. Masuki Hara performed the first heart bypass operation, and the Arkansas Legislature authorized University Hospital to admit "full pay," or non-charity, patients.

In 1961, Colonel T.H. Barton, the Lutterloh Trust and the Buchanan Foundation donated funding, along with federal matching dollars, to construct the T.H. Barton Research Building. Finished that same year, the Barton Research Building became the first building on campus devoted solely to research. UAMSC acquired its first artificial kidney in 1961.

Bob Donaldson was hired in 1963 by Dr. Winston Shorey to develop "media" on the UAMSC campus. Between 1963 and 1980, approximately 500 motion pictures were created at UAMSC.

In 1964, the first kidney transplant in Arkansas was performed at UAMC by Drs. Masuki Hara and William Flanagin.

In 1965, the Arkansas legislature began funding "full pay" beds for University Hospital, which removed the hospital from the "charity" classification. The Education I building was renamed the Shorey Building, and an experimental program using closed circuit TV was initiated by the Departments of Hematology, Pathology and Pharmacology. The first Marines arrived at Da Nang, Vietnam; U.S. troops reached 200,000.

Distance learning advanced in 1966, when UAMSC began to use video tape in teaching, and in 1967, the School of Medicine was selected to participate in the Network for Continuing Medical Education, which duplicated programs produced on videotape by medical centers and distributed them to medical schools and hospitals nationwide.

In 1968, the Arkansas legislature authorized the School of Medicine's clinical faculty to accept fee-for-service patients, and to use that income to supplement individual faculty salaries. The million-dollar Child Study Center was created in 1969 and supported by legislature appropriations, contingency funds guaranteed by Governor Winthrop Rockefeller, monies transferred from the Arkansas State Hospital and matching federal funds from the Community Mental Health Centers Act.

1970
In 1970, the School of Health Related Professions was approved by the Board of Trustees, a new audio-visual library opened at UAMC, and color closed-circuit TV was first used at the university. In 1972, an atomic-powered pacemaker was implanted in the heart of a 22-year-old patient by Doyne Williams, M.D., the third surgeon in the United States licensed by the AEC to handle the investigative device.

In 1973, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program was established to provide health care and education throughout the state, and the UAMC clinical laboratories introduced a new computer system.

In 1974, construction began on the Education Building II, funded by over $20 million from the legislature and approved by Governor Dale Bumpers. The building included two large amphitheaters, classrooms, a three-level library and multi-media/audio-visual support units. The Arkansas Poison Control Center (the state's only poison control center) and the Drug Information Center were established in the School of Pharmacy in 1974.

Several historic name changes were made in 1975: the name of the campus changed to University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Campus, the executive officer's title changed to chancellor and all four schools became colleges. In addition, first years students were no longer required to live in the University Medical Center Dormitory.

In 1976, the Department of Pathology acquired the first Siemens Transmission Electron Microscope, which provided the first scanning, scanning transmission, and x-ray microanalysis capability in the country.

The Education Building II was completed in 1977, and a microwave disk was installed to provide two-way visual and audio communications between UAMSC and ACH.

In 1979, Harry P. Ward, M.D. was appointed as the second chancellor of UAMS. The UAMS Department of Pediatrics moved to Arkansas Children's Hospital, and many ACH physicians thus became a part of the UAMS faculty.

1980
In 1980, the Ambulatory Care Center was completed, and the name of the campus changed to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The first annual fund raising campaign for UAMS began.

In 1981, the Ambulatory Care Center was officially designated as the Isaac Folsom Clinic but later became the Outpatient Clinic. In that same year, the Education Building I was renamed the Winston K. Shorey Building.

In 1983, the first honorary degrees were awarded for the first time in nearly 100 years. Storm Whaley, William Cobb, and Isadore Meschan were the first honorees.

In 1984, the UAMS Foundation Fund Board formed the Chancellor's Circle.

In 1985, University Hospital and ACH initiated University Careflight, which transported patients to University Hospital by ambulance after they were flown by helicopter to Rick's Armory. The Student Learning Center on the JBSU mezzanine, which included five IBM PC's and two Apple IIe computers, was open 24 hours a day.

In 1986, the Family Medical Center was completed, and the Women's Health Center opened at Freeway Medical Center.

In 1987, the UAMS Helipad officially opened. It was located at the north end of Education II, where the College of Public Health is now located.

The state's first in vitro fertilization program was announced at UAMS in 1988, and the first in vitro pregnancy occurred in 1989. The Pine Bluff AHEC piloted the M.A.S.H. (Medical Application of Science for Health) Program in 1988.

In 1989, the Arkansas Cancer Research Center opened, starting a tradition of excellence in helping patients with cancer and their families for years to come. That same year, the kidney transplant program celebrated its 25th anniversary.

1990
In 1990, Outpatient Surgery opened, the UAMS Continuing Medical Education Outreach program began and the M.A.S.H Program went statewide at all six AHECs.

In 1991, the Rural Hospital Program was established, and the Internet was installed at UAMS. The Arkansas Heart Transplant Program was formed as a consortium between UAMS Medical Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, and Baptist Medical Center. UAMS has Arkansas' only Level 1 Trauma Center. The State Health Department and UAMS purchased Freeway Medical Building, and the first Mini-Medical School was sponsored by the UAMS College of Medicine.

Arkansas' first frozen embryo pregnancy was announced by the IVF program at UAMS Medical Center in 1992. Arkansas CARES was formed, and a new distance learning program was established, creating the Arkansas Nurses Education Network.

The Community Women's Clinic, a joint project of UAMS Medical Center, the Arkansas Department of Health and Pulaski County, officially opened in 1993 in the Pulaski County Health Unit. The Arkansas Genetics Program celebrated its tenth anniversary.

The campus saw an explosion of growth and development in 1994: the Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute opened; ACRC expanded to eleven floors, the walkway between UAMS and the VA opened and the University Women's Health Center opened on the fourth floor of the Freeway Medical Building. In addition, the Rural Hospital Program was added to AHEC, which brought telemedicine to Arkansas through grants from the Arkansas Energy Office and the Federal Rural Electrification Administration.

In 1995, the UAMS Graduate School was granted independent status from the Graduate School at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, and the Education III Building was completed.

"Here's to Your Health," the radio information show sponsored by UAMS, went on the air on KUAR-FM, and the Arkansas Heart Transplant Program team performed its 100th heart transplant.

In 1996, the Phase II expansion of the ACRC building was completed, CHRP celebrated its 25th anniversary and the Outpatient Center expanded. UAMS Medical Center became the first Arkansas hospital to be named to the U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals."

In 1997, the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging opened, and the Harry P. Ward Tower was dedicated. The Biomedical Biotechnology Center established Arkansas BioVentures program, Arkansas' first biotechnology start-up company. On-line, Web-based distance learning began in the College of Nursing, and M. Gazi Yasargil, M.D., was named Neurosurgeon of the Century by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

In 1998, UAMS assumed responsibility for the Pulaski County Head Start Program, and the AHEC Program celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Society of the Double Helix was established to honor major donors and UAMS' Clinical Skills Center opened.

In 1999, Arkansas' only Gamma Knife Center opened at UAMS; ACRC celebrated its tenth anniversary; "Aging Successfully with Dr. David," starring Dr. David Lipschitz, began on AETN; and the Arkansas AHEC program was named the best in the nation by the National AHEC Organization. Dr. Milton Waner also held the first UAMS International Telemedicine consultation with a five-year-old patient and her doctors in Israel that year.

2000
The year 2000 ushered in a new century, a new millennium and new growth and change for UAMS. In 2000, I. Dodd Wilson, M.D., was appointed the third chancellor of UAMS. The Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute (CARTI) and the was Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging were completed, and a state-of-the-art Endoscopy Center and the General Clinical Research Center opened. University Hospital was named one of the 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems by Hospitals and Health Networks, and Arkansas' first laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery was performed at UAMS.

In 2001, the establishment of the world’s first Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy was announced, and the College of Public Health was formed. The Alzheimer’s Disease Center was founded in the Department of Geriatrics - one of only 29 such centers in the United States at the time.

The Russian-American Family Medicine Clinic opened in 2001 in Volgograd, Russia as a result of educational exchange between AHEC and the Volgograd Medical Academy. The Jones Eye Institute celebrated its tenth anniversary, and the College of Pharmacy celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in the same year.

Harry P.Ward, M.D., retired as chancellor at UAMS in 2001 and was succeeded by I. Dodd Wilson, M.D.

In 2003, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute, the new College of Public Health, the BioVentures building and the Biomedical Research Center II all opened. UAMS initiated collaborations to found The Clinton School of Public Service. Suzanne McCarthy became the first graduate of the College of Public Health.

In 2004, the College of Medicine celebrated its 125th anniversary. As part of the UAMS Get Healthy program, a new fitness center opened in the College of Public Health and began its first week with over 1000 members. As a part of the UAMS "Get Healthy" program, UAMS became one of the first medical centers in the country to adopt a campus-wide non-smoking policy. Later that year, the state's first liver transplant program began and plans were unveiled to build a major expansion of University Hospital.

Almost halfway through the first decade of the 2000s, construction began on an expansion of the Jones Eye Institute, and construction was completed on a building that houses the new PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scanner and cyclotron. In 2005, a campus-wide expansion project was announced, and plans were set in motion to change the landscape of the UAMS campus over the next few years.