The Chicago Medical School (CMS) has been educating physicians and furthering biomedical research for 90 years. Established in 1912, its physician and citizen founders aimed to build a combined medical school and hospital in which employed men and women could study medicine at night, a common practice at the time. The school's noteworthy period of development took place under the direction of John J. Sheinin, MD, PhD, who served as dean and president from 1932 to 1966. It was during his administration that CMS successfully met the challenges arising from the revolutionary restructuring of American medical education following the Flexner Report.
In 1930, the school moved to what was to become one of the world's largest aggregations of medical facilities. Located just west of downtown Chicago, this complex contained three medical schools; seven hospitals; colleges of dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing; and two undergraduate universities. CMS occupied an 11-story facility in the renowned research and educational center.
In 1967, the University of Health Sciences (UHS) was established. The University was composed of The Chicago Medical School (CMS), The School of Related Health Sciences (SRHS), and The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPDS). In 1980, the University relocated to its current campus in North Chicago, Illinois, adjacent to the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In 1993, the institution was renamed for its longtime leader and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Herman M. Finch. Finch University of Health Sciences, granted full accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1980, represents one of the first educational institutions in the country devoted exclusively to educating men and women for a broad range of professional careers in health care and research. In 2001, The Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine (established in 1912) became part of the University structure, which now includes four colleges.
In October 2002, Finch University opened its new Health Sciences Building, a 140,000-square-foot state-of-theart facility that houses laboratories, auditoriums, classrooms, departmental offices, a student union, and the Feet First Museum, a one-of-a-kind exhibit dedicated to the structures of the feet and to the career of Dr. William M. Scholl. The University has also recently begun building for the first phase of student housing facilities, making the institution a residential campus for the first time.
Currently, the University enrollment is nearly 1,800, with the bulk of its students (738) enrolled in CMS. Major medical school affiliations include North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center, and Lutheran General Hospital.
The University's clinical campus consists of the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University Clinics, Women's Health Center, and the Diamond Headache Clinic; these facilities have been established to provide primary health care service to the local community. Research units include the Heather Margaret Bligh Cancer Research Laboratory.
