Introduction

On November 11, 1968, the Coordinating Board of the Texas College and University System approved the establishment of a new four-year public school of medicine in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. On June 13, 1969, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston was created by act of the Legislature, and an appropriation for its initial cost became effective September 1, 1969. Three considerations led to the organization of the school: local, regional, and national shortages of physicians; the extraordinary, but until then underutilized, resources for medical education in Houston and in the Texas Medical Center; and the large number of well-qualified candidates seeking entry to medical school.

A dean and supporting staff were appointed in the spring of 1970. Two years were then devoted to assembling faculty, resources, and equipment; designing a curriculum; and organizing these various parts into an effective medical education institution. During this period, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston was accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The faculty grew rapidly, and effective instruction began, in both the basic sciences and clinical disciplines. New facilities were opened, major construction programs were initiated, and the renovation of what is now known as Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center was completed. In 1972, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, along with five other degree programs, was incorporated into The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston).

In November 2015, after a transformational gift from the McGovern Foundation, the school was renamed John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School, placing a renewed emphasis on humanism, ethics, research, and scholarship.

Along with the Doctor of Medicine degree, McGovern Medical School offers a Master of Science in Clinical Research which began enrollment in 2002 and the Master of Science in Anesthesia which began enrollment in 2024.

Now, more than 50 years after incorporation, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston has achieved a position of excellence among the notable institutions in the Texas Medical Center.