KE Med School - Lahore

KE Med School - Lahore
Originally uploaded by Changezii

This University was founded in 1860 as Lahore Medical School. It is the oldest Medical College of Pakistan. King Edward Medical College has a very long tradition of excellence going back to 143 years. This is the second oldest seat of medical learning in the subcontinent, the first being in Calcutta. King Edward Medical College is even older than the University of the Punjab, the latter being established in 1870 as the Punjab University College. The university status was granted in 1882. In 1860, the Lahore Medical School started functioning in the artillery barracks at the present site of Government College, Lahore. The attached hospital was located in a stable where we have the Tibbi Police Station now. The first Principal was Dr. J.B. Scriven (1860 - 1870). A total of 49 students were admitted, and were taught by only two teachers, the Principal and one Professor. Of these 49 students, 27 got their Medical Diplomas in 1863. In 1886 the Medical School was renamed as the Lahore Medical College. In 1891, the Licentiate Diploma was re-designated as Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The first Principal after partition was Lt Col Ilahi Bukhsh. The present Principal is Prof. Mumtaz Hasan. The Principal of King

The original idea for the establishment of a medical college for the undivided Punjab was placed before the Imperial Government in 1857, but shelved because of 'War of Independence', The need was so great that is was decided to make the beginning by establishing a Medical School in 1860. At that time the only other Medical School in Indo-Pakistan Sub-Continent was situated in Calcutta. In August, 1960, Dr. IB. Scriven of the General Hospital in Calcutta was invited to become the Principal of the proposed Lahore Medical School, which was to be the second such Institution in Indo Pakistan Sub-Continent.

In 1870, the construction of the attached teaching hospital was completed and was named after the then Viceroy of India, Lord Mayo (Mayo Hospital). During 1910-1915, new buildings were constructed from King Edward Memorial Funds, and with the Sovereign permission named King Edward Medical College. There were generous donations by the rulers of various princely states of Punjab; that is why various college blocks bear the name of the donors. The major ones are:



1. Patiala block (administrative block, library, lecture theatres)

2. Bahawalpur block (Pathology, Physiology, Biochemistry and Community Medicine)

3. Farid Kot block (Anatomy)

4. Kapurthala block (Pharmacology)

In addition to M.B., B.S., this College also imparts teaching to B.D.S. students of de' Montmorency College of Dentistry and School of Physiotherapy, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. The teaching hospitals affiliated with this college are Mayo Hospital, Lady Willingdon Hospital and Lady Aitchison Hospital. The college is affiliated to University of the Punjab, Lahore.

Dr. Scriven with Dr. Smith, a Civil Surgeon, conducted the first Matriculation Examination on the 1st of November, 1860 having arrived in Lahore on 10th of October, 1860. The classes were to be held in and English 20 students qualified for the Hindustani class in initial examination while a000nother qualifying examination was held on the 15th November, 1860 allowing 24 more students to qualify for the class thus producing a total of 44 students for the Hindustani class. only 5 students were enrolled for the English Class of which only 2 persisted on the College Rolls after a year; one European, and one Indian, English was not widely known in the province at that time.

In keeping with the modest beginning, the newly created institution was designated as Lahore Medical School and started functioning in Artillery Barracks at the present site of the Government College, with a Hospital located in a foreign stable near the present Tibbi Police station in Taxali Gate, almost a mile away from the college. This arrangement according to Dr. Scriven was most inconvenient and insufficient for the needs of the community. In October, 1860 the hospital had 56 patients.