School of Medicine 40th Anniversary Gala —
November 14, 2008
What an exciting time for the School of Medicine. The school is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and has been around almost as long as the university, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2010.
Since its founding, UC San Diego has always focused on academic excellence, and the School of Medicine is no exception. It’s one of the best in the country, ranked 5th among public medical schools by U.S. News & World Report, and has graduated nearly 4,000 students. And it remains the only medical school in the San Diego region.
When it was established in 1968, the School of Medicine pushed existing boundaries, focusing on both basic science and interdisciplinary research. It brought the emerging areas of cellular and molecular medicine into mainstream medicine, advancing science and the potential to produce new treatments and cures.
This innovative and collaborative spirit still exists today. It’s what we call the power of academic medicine.
We have world-renowned faculty at the forefront of their fields, training the next generation of leading physicians and physician-scientists; we attract the best and brightest students; and we offer the most advanced patient care.
This is due, in part, to our collaborative environment. Collaboration is key, between faculty and students, researchers and physicians, the school and its partners. Our partnerships enhance our strengths.
We have partners around the world and right here in our community – such as Rady Children’s Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Health System, and the many other institutions and independent physicians whose participation in fulfilling our academic mission is so vital.
By working together, sharing resources and ideas, we have the potential to advance science at an even faster pace and accelerate technology transfer from bench to bedside, so our patients quickly benefit from our research.
Because of our translational medicine and our outstanding people, we are able to give our patients the very best care.
That’s why the School of Medicine, its faculty and students, exemplify the power of academic medicine. They are saving and improving lives on a daily basis.
This tradition of excellence at UC San Diego and at the School of Medicine is still going strong after all of these decades. We look forward to another 40 years at the forefront of medicine.
