History

The University of Kansas

On September 12, 1866, the University of Kansas opened its doors and became the first state university on the Great Plains. Three faculty members greeted 55 students at the new school. The legislative act that established and organized the university stated that “the object of the university shall be to provide the inhabitants of this state with the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various branches of literature, science, and the arts.” During its history, the university has striven to meet that goal. In the process, it has attracted talented teachers and students from all over the world. Today, more than 29,000 students pursue educational goals in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and 13 other schools on campuses in Lawrence, Kansas City, Overland Park, and Wichita, and at numerous outreach sites throughout the state.

The Medical Center

The University of Kansas Medical Center began in the late 19th century. In 1889, a one-year preparatory course for medical school got under way in Lawrence. Students who completed the year then transferred to other medical schools. The curriculum was lengthened to two years in 1899, but no provision was made for clinical (hospital) teaching or for awarding a medical degree until 1905. In that year, clinical instruction began at the first Bell Memorial Hospital, built with funds and on land donated by Kansas City physician and entrepreneur Simeon B. Bell. The first Bell Memorial Hospital comprised 35 beds and two dispensary buildings about one mile north of the present campus. By 1924, the school and hospital had expanded and moved to the Medical Center’s current location. Now the Medical Center, with Schools of Allied Health, Nursing, and Medicine, and an Office of Graduate Studies, is a dynamic center for health education and patient care. The School of Medicine enrolls 175 students each year in the four-year M.D. program. Students spend the first two years of medical school, the preclinical or basic science phase, at the Medical Center in Kansas City. The final two years of instruction take place in the hospital in Kansas City or at the school’s campus in Wichita. Students from KU are welcomed to residency posts at some of the finest institutions in the country. Graduate medical education programs (residency training) draw outstanding medical school graduates from all over the country to the Medical Center and Wichita. Off-campus residency mini-rotations take place in Topeka, Garden City, Hays, Manhattan, Pratt, Pittsburg, and other locations in Kansas. Nearly every clinical department at the Medical Center offers residency programs.

Facilities

The Medical Center’s facilities are continually updated and expanded to keep abreast of the most modern teaching and treatment techniques. The $5.5-million basic sciences facility, Orr-Major Hall, was dedicated in 1976. This building includes classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium, and a learning resources center. Completed in 1979, the $61.5-million University of Kansas Hospital, brings nearly all the diagnostic and treatment facilities of the Medical Center under one roof. The building eases and speeds coordination between departments and enables the staff and employees to give patients the best possible care. The hospital offers complete primary and tertiary care for patients of all ages from obstetrical and newborn to geriatric care, and care for a range of problems from traumatic injuries to long-term and chronic conditions.

The Archie R. Dykes Library for Health Sciences, which opened in 1983, contains more than 170,000 books, 1,300 print journals, 5,000 other informational materials, and 3,000 electronic journal titles in the biomedical and related health sciences. The library serves the educational and research needs of Medical Center students and faculty and the public. Membership in a national interlibrary loan program ensures that students and faculty at all Kansas state colleges and universities and health professionals in Kansas have access to this collection, as well as to the collections of other libraries across the nation. Computer searches of more than 100 health-related data bases are available to students, faculty, and Kansas health professionals. A major renovation project began in October 2003. In fall 2005, there will be two new classrooms, several new closed study rooms, a 90-seat testing center, wireless connectivity, and 24-hour availability to KUMC students. Dykes Library resources are on the World Wide Web at http://library.kumc.edu. The Instructional Technology Center, www2.kumc.edu/itc/itc, is a computer lab primarily for KUMC students. It contains more than 140 networked Windows computers as well as printing and scanning equipment and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Software available in the Instructional Technology Center includes Microsoft Office, Paintshop Pro, SPSS, SAS, and a variety of Educational CAI titles. Experienced trainers offer instruction in GroupWise e-mail and calendar functions as well as Microsoft productivity applications. The renowned Clendening History of Medicine Library has one of the top five collections of rare medical books in the country. The library contains more than 25,000 first or early editions of almost all important works in medical literature.

The Department of Student Services coordinates services for Medical Center students, including records and registration, financial aid, counseling, student life/wellness, housing, and student health. The Student Center Building at the corner of Olathe and Rainbow Boulevards houses the department and a student lounge. On the first floor, computers are available for students to access e-mail, the Internet, and Microsoft software, along with a networked printer. Study areas and lockers are also available. Next to the student center is the Division of Health Care Outreach and Continuing Education. KU has offered postgraduate study in medicine almost continuously since 1911. Currently, the Division of Health Care Outreach and Continuing Education offers seminars, clinical traineeships, and programs for doctors and other health professionals. Kirmayer Fitness Center is a two-story, 46,000-square-foot facility at the southeast corner of Rainbow and Olathe Boulevards. It promotes physical fitness and wellness among members of the KU Medical Center. All students automatically become members with payment of a fee of $45 per semester or $18 per summer session. Fitness and recreation programs include land aerobics, water aerobics, tai-chi, yoga, karate, weight watchers at work, and intramural leagues in volleyball, basketball, softball, and racquetball/ squash, among others. Information is available from (913) 588-1KFC (1532) during business hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 to 9 p.m. Special holiday and other hours may be announced. The Kirmayer Fitness Center is for faculty, staff, students, and alumni of KU Medical Center and their spouses.