UAMS Historical Timeline

1879
In 1879, eight physicians, led by P.O. Hooper of Little Rock, each invested $625 to secure a charter for a medical school from Arkansas Industrial University (which later became the University of Arkansas). They purchased the Sperindio Restaurant and Hotel building on West Second Street for $5,000 to house the school, which opened on Oct. 7, 1879 with 22 students.

That same year, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent electric lamp.

1889
In 1880, Dr. Tom Pinson became the first graduate of the medical school.

In the 1880s, the average salary was $548, a gallon of milk was 17 cents and the average house cost $5,250.

1890
In 1890, enrollment increased to 80 new students a year. A new three-story building with a lecture room and classrooms was designed and built at Sherman and East Second streets. 

In 1892, a free clinic for indigent patients was endowed and named the Isaac Folsom Clinic for the Lonoke resident who bequeathed the money for the facility.

In 1895, Roentgen discovered X-rays.

In 1899, the medical school’s name changed to the University of Arkansas Medical Department.

1900
In 1901, Dr. Anna A. Shoppach became the first female graduate of the U.A. Medical Department.

In 1909, the football team for the University of Arkansas Medical Department, the Medics, won a state championship.

1910
In 1910, 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.

Milk cost 36 cents per gallon.

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.

In 1917, the Isaac Folsom Clinic relocated next to the medical school to provide patients for the students to observe and treat.

In 1917, the United States entered World War I, which depleted faculty numbers and drastically reduced enrollment, putting the medical school’s survival at stake.

In 1918, the school’s name changed to the University of Arkansas School of Medicine.

1920
In 1920, the average salary was $1,324.

In 1921, the Old State Capitol was renamed the Arkansas State War Memorial by the state legislature. Courses in medical technology were offered by faculty of the School of Medicine.

In 1921 Fred Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin.

In 1924, the City Hospital in Little Rock was dedicated. The five-story, $450,000 structure gave the School of Medicine a boost in clinical instruction of medical students. The hospital’s physicians were members of the school’s teaching faculty.

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, though it was not commercially produced until World War II.

In 1929, the stock market crashed, causing the Great Depression. By 1932 approximately one out of every four Americans was unemployed. 

1930
In 1934, construction began on a new building facing McAlmont Street and was completed in 1935. The new medical facility accommodated 300 students on six floors and was linked with City Hospital, which is the current location of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law.

In 1939, the Arkansas legislature assessed a new tax on beer and liquor 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, two emergency rooms and a clinical laboratory.

In the 1940s, gasoline cost 23 cents per gallon. A gallon of milk cost 65 cents.
The average U.S. salary was $2,890.

In 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the United States entered World War II. During 1942 and 1943, more than one-third of the part-time faculty at the School of Medicine was on active duty with the military.

In 1941, the University of Arkansas School of Medicine blood bank was established. It was expanded to serve the entire state in 1943.

In 1943, the first graduate program was established in the School of Medicine, offering a master’s degree in biochemistry.

In 1944, City Hospital was renamed University Hospital.

In 1945, World War II ended, and the newly passed GI Bill helped many returning veterans attend college.

From 1947 to 1974, the campus was referred to as the University of Arkansas Medical Center (UAMC), although the official name was the University of Arkansas School of Medicine during that time.

1950
In 1950, a forty-acre tract of land on West Markham Street was formally deeded to the university by the State Hospital.

In 1950, the Korean War began.

The average salary in 1950 was $5,019 and gas cost 29 cents per gallon. The average house cost $17,400.

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.

In 1951, ground was broken for the new University Hospital. The first outpatient chemotherapy in the state was administered.

In 1951, the School of Pharmacy was established.

In 1953, the School of Nursing was established.

In 1953, DNA was discovered, and the link between cancer and tobacco was first established.

In 1954, distance learning gained a foothold in Arkansas when a black and white closed circuit TV was used for teaching. That same year, the VA Hospital in Little Rock was included as part of the School of Medicine’s clinical teaching program.

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

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

In 1956, the Education Building I was completed, and the first open heart surgery in Arkansas was performed by Dr. Masuki Hara at UAMC.

In 1958, an inpatient unit for adult psychiatric patients opened, and the School of Nursing became the first in Arkansas to be fully accredited by the National League of Nursing.

In 1959, the Student Dormitory and the Jeff Banks Student Union opened.

1960
In the 1960s, a gallon of gas cost 32 cents and a gallon of milk cost $1.04.

The average U.S. salary in the 1960s was $8,346.

In 1961, the T.H. Barton Research Building was completed and became the first building on campus devoted solely to research. UAMC acquired its first kidney dialysis machine that same year.

In 1964, the first kidney transplant in Arkansas was performed at University Hospital by Dr. Masuki Hara under the transplant program developed by Dr. William J. “Pat” Flanigin. 

In 1965, the Arkansas legislature began funding “full pay” beds for University Hospital, which removed the hospital from the “charity” classification.

The first Marines arrived at Da Nang, Vietnam; U.S. troop levels eventually reached 200,000.

In 1966, distance learning advanced, when UAMC began to use video tape in teaching.

In 1969, the million-dollar Child Study Center opened. That same year the first corneal transplant in Arkansas was performed at UAMC.

1970
In 1970, the School of Health Related Professions was approved by the Board of Trustees.

In 1972, groundbreaking work by Dr. Janice Gunnels, Hermione Swindoll and Dr. Joseph Bates, researchers from UAMC, the Little Rock Veterans Hospital and the Arkansas Department of Health, changed the way patients with tuberculosis were treated.

In 1973, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program was developed by Dr. Winston Shorey, School of Medicine Dean, and Dr. James Dennis, Vice President of Health Services, to educate family physicians and provide health education throughout the state.

In 1974, 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, construction began on the Education Building II. The building included two large amphitheaters, classrooms a library and multi-media/audio-visual support units.

In 1975, several historic name changes were made: the name of the campus changed to University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Campus (UAMSC), the executive officer’s title changed to chancellor and all four schools became colleges.

In 1975, Dr. James Dennis became the first chancellor of UAMSC.

In 1977, the Education Building II was completed.

In 1979, Dr. Harry P. Ward was appointed as the second chancellor of UAMSC.

1980
In 1980, the Ambulatory Care Center was completed, and the name of the campus changed to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). That same year, the first annual fundraising campaign for UAMS began.

In 1980, the UAMS Department of Pediatrics moved to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, a long time teaching affiliate of the medical school.

In the 1980s, the average salary had climbed to $34,191, milk cost $1.96 per gallon, and a gallon of gas rose to $1.12.

In 1981, the Ambulatory Care Center was officially designated as the Isaac Folsom Clinic but later became known as the Outpatient Center. In that same year, the Education Building I was renamed the Winston K. Shorey Building, honoring Shorey’s 14 years as College of Medicine dean.

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

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

In 1985, University Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Hospital initiated University Careflight, which transported patients to University Hospital by ambulance after they were flown by helicopter to a landing pad at nearby Rick’s Armory.

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

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.

In 1988, the state’s first in vitro fertilization program was announced at UAMS in 1988, and the first in vitro pregnancy occurred in 1989. 

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.

1990
In 1990, Outpatient Surgery opened, and the UAMS Continuing Medical Education Outreach program began.

In 1991, the Rural Hospital Program was established, and the Internet was installed at UAMS. 

In 1991, the Arkansas Heart Transplant Program was formed as a consortium between UAMS Medical Center, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and Baptist Medical Center.

In 1991, the State Health Department and UAMS purchased the Freeway Medical Building, and the first Mini-Medical School was sponsored by the UAMS College of Medicine.

In 1992 Arkansas’ first frozen embryo pregnancy was announced by the IVF program at UAMS Medical Center, and Arkansas CARES (Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services) was formed in the Department of Psychiatry to help break the cycle of maternal drug addiction.

In 1993, the Community Women’s Clinic, a joint project of UAMS Medical Center, the Arkansas Department of Health and Pulaski County, officially opened. 

In the 1990s, a gallon of gas cost $1.22 and milk was $2.50 per gallon.

The average U.S. salary was $53,028, and the average house cost $168,425.

In 1994, the campus saw an explosion of growth and development: the Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute opened; the ACRC expanded to 11 floors, and the walkway between UAMS and the VA opened. In addition, the Rural Hospital Program was added to AHEC, which brought telemedicine to Arkansas.

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, now part of the College of Public Health Building, was completed.

In 1995, “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 1995, 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 – now the Institute on Aging – opened, and the hospital’s Harry P. Ward Tower was dedicated.

In 1997, the Biomedical Biotechnology Center established the Arkansas BioVentures program, Arkansas’ first biotechnology business incubator. 

In 1998, UAMS assumed responsibility for the Pulaski County Head Start Program.

In 1998, 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. “Aging Successfully with Dr. David,” starring Dr. David Lipschitz, debuted on the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN).

In 1999, the Arkansas AHEC program was named the best in the nation by the National AHEC Organization.

In 1999, the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education of Northwest Arkansas was established in Springdale as the first satellite Center on Aging affiliated with the Arkansas Aging Initiative. The first of seven satellite centers, the Schmieding Center was built to serve the older adult community of Northwest Arkansas.

In 1999, Dr. M. Gazi Yasargil, who joined the UAMS faculty in 1995, was named “Neurosurgeon of the Century” by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

2000
In 2000, the Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute (CARTI) building was completed. A state-of-the-art Endoscopy Center and the General Clinical Research Center opened.

In 2000, University Hospital was named one of the “100 Most Wired” hospitals and health systems by Hospitals and Health Networks.

In 2000, 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.

In 2001, 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.

In 2001, Dr. Harry P. Ward retired as chancellor and was succeeded by the university’s third chancellor, Dr. I. Dodd Wilson.

In 2003, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), UAMS launched the ANGELS program.  A first of its kind in the nation, this program was designed to help reduce the number of premature births in Arkansas.

In 2003, the Pat & Willard Walker Eye Research Center was dedicated at the Jones Eye Institute.

In 2003, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the new College of Public Health, the BioVentures building and the Biomedical Research Center II buildings all opened. UAMS was one of the collaborators in the founding of the Clinton School of Public Health.

In 2004, the average cost of a gallon of milk was $3.16. A gallon of gas cost $2.02.

In 2004, the College of Medicine celebrated its 125th anniversary.

In 2004, 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 more than 1,000 members. In addition, UAMS became one of the first medical centers in the country to adopt a campus-wide non-smoking policy.

Later that year, plans were unveiled for a major hospital expansion.

In 2005, construction began on an expansion to the Jones Eye Institute, and construction was completed on a building that houses the new PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scanner and cyclotron.

In 2005, UAMS, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and seven partner institutions announced a five-year, $16.7 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand and improve biomedical research in Arkansas.

In 2005, the first liver transplant in Arkansas was performed at UAMS by Dr. Youmin Wu. Also 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.

In 2006, the UAMS Student Dormitory was imploded on Feb. 19, using about 65 pounds of explosives to bring down the 15,000-ton building. Later that same year separate groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the 500,000-square-foot hospital expansion and adjacent Psychiatric Research Institute to be built at the old dorm site along with a new parking deck.

In 2006, the Pat Walker Tower, a five-floor expansion of the Jones Eye Institute, was dedicated.

In April 2006, UAMS broke ground on the five-floor, 100,000-square-foot Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI), one of only nine institutions in the country to combine psychiatric research and education with inpatient and outpatient care. Also in 2006, the PRI became the sixth Center of Excellence at the UAMS, signifying a convergence of a facility, faculty, staff and programs focused on mental health.

On Sept. 1, 2006, Arkansas native Debra Fiser, M.D., became the first woman to serve as dean of the UAMS College of Medicine.

In 2006, the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, a UAMS affiliate, was named “Best in Quality” throughout the VA System.

In 2006, Dr. Bart Barlogie, director of the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, at UAMS, was voted by his peers as a National Physician of the Year.

In 2006, for the fourth year in a row, the UAMS College of Medicine’s geriatrics program was named one of the country’s 10 best in the U.S. News and World Report list of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine’s primary care program and the College of Nursing’s master’s degree programs also were featured.

In 2006, planning began for a major expansion to the Arkansas Cancer Research Center. The expansion will be funded in part with more than $35 million from a bond issuance approved in a special session of the Arkansas Legislature. The bonds will be paid for with a portion of the state’s share of the 1998 multi-state legal settlement with the tobacco industry.

In 2006, the new 92,000-square-foot UAMS Residence Hall opened in advance of the 2006-2007 school year. The new residence hall, offering housing for UAMS students and guests, included 177 units, with a mix of traditional dormitory-style rooms with semi-private baths, one-bedroom apartments and studio apartments.

UAMS celebrated a 540,000-square-foot expansion to UAMS Medical Center with a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 11, 2006. The ceremony took place in front of the hospital’s existing Ward Tower as concrete was being poured nearby for the hospital addition as well as the adjacent Psychiatric Research Institute and a new parking deck.

The Centers for Children in Lowell, Ark, a collaborative project of UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, held a grand opening on May 11, 2007. The new facility provides developmental and subspecialty medical care by faculty physicians in the UAMS Department of Pediatrics to children in northwest Arkansas. The 40,000-square-foot, two-story building houses the Schmieding Developmental Center, the Schmieding KIDS FIRST program and various regional clinics, all previously located in Fayetteville and Springdale.

In 2007, the UAMS College of Medicine was recognized by the American Academy of
Family Physicians (AAFP) as one of the top 10 medical schools in the nation for producing family practice doctors.

On Sept. 28, 2007, UAMS honored the late Winthrop P. Rockefeller, former Arkansas lieutenant governor, by renaming its Arkansas Cancer Research Center (ACRC) for him while celebrating the groundbreaking for a major expansion to the facility. The 12-floor, 309,000-square-foot addition, would allow the institute to treat more patients and host more research into new treatments. During the ceremony, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, named for Rockefeller’s late father and former Arkansas governor, announced a $12 million gift to the new Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute that will in part fund creation of a new leukemia-lymphoma program.

Also in 2007, the ANGELS (Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System) program, a partnership between UAMS, the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Medicaid Program, and the Arkansas Medical Society, received the 2007 American Telemedicine Association’s President’s Award for Innovation for its use of telemedicine to reduce the number of babies born with severe medical problems. The program also was a finalist for an Innovation in American Government Award given by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University.