The Development of Medical Education in the Pacific Northwest *
By O. LARSELL, University of Oregon Medical School
Medical education in the Pacific Northwest may be
divided quite naturally into two periods. The first of
these , beginning with 1865, represents the pioneer stage. In that year was founded the Medical Department of Willamette University, which in spite of many difficulties , had a continuous existence until 1913 , when it was amalgamated with the University of Oregon Medical School . The second period began about 1913 , although many of the factors which make proper the division given had begun to take effect several years prior to this date , and others had not yet begun to be felt . It is with the first of these periods that we shall deal in this paper . Willamette University was founded in Salem in 1842 , under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal denomination . It represents the pioneer effort in higher edu cation in the Northwest , and too much credit cannot be given Jason Lee and his co -workers for their vision and self -sacrifice in establishing a college in the new settle ment . To be sure , it was not a college in the present meaning of the term , but it had the definite aim of giving higher education to the white children of the Oregon country .
In 1865 , twenty - three years after the founding of the
institution , another step of significance to the welfare of
the state was taken in the launching under the auspices
of the university of the medical department . The initial
steps in this venture were taken by Governor A. C. Gibbs
and others in 1864. They sent a communication to the
Board of Trustees of Willamette University asking that
body to organize a medical department . They further
Read at the meeting of the University of Oregon Medical History
Club February 21, 1924.
asked that the department be located in Portland , and
that certain gentlemen be elected officers and professors
of the same . On February 15 , 1865 , the Board voted1
to establish such a department in Portland , to be called
the “Oregon Medical College , ” with certain provisions , in
cluding the appointment of the medical faculty by the
Board of Trustees of the university . The faculty elected
consisted of Judge M. P. Deady , emeritus professor of
medical jurisprudence ; R. Glisan , M. D . , professor of theory and practice of medicine ; J. A. Chapman , M. D . , professor of civil and military surgery ; A. M. Loryea , M. D . , professor and demonstrator of anatomy ; R. B . Wil son , M . D . , professor of physiology and institutes of medi cine ; Hon . A. C. Gibbs , professor of medical jurispru dence . It is interesting to note that a professor emeritus was elected before the school had begun to function . A temporary office was established at number 5 Washing ton street , which by the present system of numbering is 205 Washington street . Difficulties arose which made it impracticable to carry out the plan of establishing the department in Portland , and for a time the project was abandoned . The faculty named above never gave instruction . The pro posal to establish a school of medicine was revived , how ever , in June , 1866 , and steps were taken to bring the de partment into operation . Dr. J . H. Wythe , who became president of the university in October , 1865 , appears to have played a prominent part in renewing the efforts to establish a medical department , which it was now pro posed to locate in Salem , since it had failed to function in Portland . Dr. Wythe3 was a physician , as well as a cler gyman , and had practiced medicine in Pennsylvania be fore coming to the Pacific Coast . He had also held a po sition of some responsibility in the medical corps of the 2 1Minutes , Bd. of Tr., W. U. , Feb. 15, 1865. 2Pers. com . from Geo. H. Himes, Portland . 3Larsell, Quart. Oreg. Hist. Soc., vol. 26, 1925.