A Brief History of UTHSCSA
Two grain silos and a hundred-acre dairy farm have been miraculously transformed over the past few decades to a Health Science Center of international renown.
In 1959 Gov. Price Daniel signed House Bill 9, creating The University of Texas South Texas School of Medicine. Six years later the Joe J. Nix Dairy Farm, a wide expanse of grazing land, cattle pens, milking barns and silos to store cattle feed, was conveyed to the State of Texas to build a School of Medicine (and health science center). On July 12, 1968, the School of Medicine and Bexar County Teaching Hospital (now University Hospital) were dedicated.
Today, the Health Science Center is a vital part of San Antonio’s $8 billion biotechnology industry, an industry that grew more than 7.5 percent last year and provides 15 percent of the jobs in San Antonio. Our own university educates 200 new physicians each year, provides a vast amount of continuing medical education, treats over a million patients each year, and offers more than $80 million in uncompensated care to the medically indigent.
Our Four Missions:
- Teaching – educate a diverse workforce of healthcare providers and scientists.
- Research – engage in biomedical and clinical research
- Patient Care – provide state of the art clinical care
- Public Service – enhance community health awareness and practices
On December 31, 2007 an Austin couple, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long, donated $25 million to UTHSCSA. It is to be used as a permanent endowment and scholarship for students, faculty recruitment and retention, as well as research of diabetes and other disease affecting South Texas.
The MARC (Medical and Research Campus) concept began as a solution to improve care for our patients. Presently, we see patients in numerous sites throughout San Antonio. As a patient centered facility, the MARC will continually elevate the quality care and improve patient outcomes.
UTHSCSA Timeline:
- 1959 - South Texas School of Medicine is created by the Texas Legislature
- 1966 - First class of 15 students is admitted to the School of Medicine; temporarily housed at Trinity
- 1968 - School of Medicine and Bexar County Teaching Hospital (now University Hospital) are dedicated
- 1969 - Legislature authorizes creation of Dental School
- 1970 - Legislature authorizes School of Nursing
- 1972 - School of Allied Health Sciences and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences created