Tucson Medical Center history

By late 1944, Tucson Medical Center was fully operational as our community non-profit hospital, still basking in the ‘strange potency’ of the desert environment.

Founding a Special HospitalIn 1949, there were 17 osteopathic physicians practicing in Tucson and 10 more scattered throughout Southern Arizona.

Educational HubInterns began training at Tucson General in 1958.

Years later, the specification of the “Low-Level Concept” for the hospital finally appears in TMC’s 1959 deed to the medical office park across Grant Road.

Erickson’s death in February 1961.

The foundation of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 1967 rewarded years of effort by community leaders, educators, legislators, regents, physicians and others dedicated to the vision of a medical college for the state of Arizona.

Just two months after the first class graduated in 1971, University Hospital (now University Medical Center, University Campus), was completed.

In 1975 a new emergency room was built as was the closest facility to the burgeoning Catalina Foothills.The physician lounges were busy places and doctors were able share advice and get to know one another.

the first major building expansion, the freestanding Arizona Cancer Center, dedicated in 1986;

the establishment of an official Phoenix-based residency program in 1992;

and the expansion of the Phoenix campus to a full four-year program, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, in 2007.

The details are on their web site: www.tucsonbotanical.org/2014/07/40th-anniversary-gala/