University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine - History

History

The university originally opened its medical school in 1843, providing instruction in medicine and medical sciences. In 1853, it suspended the school's teaching program and transferred teaching duties to the city's three proprietary schools: Trinity Medical College, the Toronto School of Medicine and Woman's Medical College. Because proprietary schools could not grant degrees, the university's medical school retained the responsibility of holding examinations and conferring medical degrees. As the university kept raising its standards, the medical examinations became increasingly rigorous and scientific. This led to fewer medical students from proprietary schools deciding to obtain university degrees, which were not required for medical practice at the time.

In 1887, the university resumed medical teaching in its Faculty of Medicine. The faculty promptly absorbed the Toronto School of Medicine, which could no longer compete with the university as it faced heavy costs of scientific work and higher examination standards set by the faculty.

The Faculty, in partnership with University of Toronto Mississauga, Trillium Health Centre, and Credit Valley Hospital opened the Mississauga Academy of Medicine in August 2011 with 54 first-year students. By 2014, the Academy will have a total of 216 students enrolled in the four-year program. The new facility is located across two floors inside the new Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex and provides brand new classrooms, seminar rooms, computer facilities, learning spaces and laboratories . Students are provided with fully equipped student lounge and outdoor terrace to relax and socialize. Students are able to share lectures and leaning experiences both inside and outside the classroom through advanced technologies .