The Department of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is the nation’s first department of medicine, with origins dating back to 1765 when John Morgan, MD assumed leadership as the first department chair in the first medical school in the original thirteen colonies. In the more than 250 years since it was established, the department has been served by 23 Chairs.
The Department of Medicine, the largest clinical department in the University of Pennsylvania Health System and the largest academic department in the University of Pennsylvania, is comprised of 12 divisions with over 500 full-time faculty, an additional 125 Penn Medicine Clinicians, and over 250 associated faculty. The Department of Medicine has a long history of training the future leaders in American medicine, and the highly competitive training programs include 171 residents and 160 subspecialty fellows. Penn’s Department of Medicine is home to nationally recognized clinical programs in primary care and each medical specialty. During the last fiscal year, outpatient encounters at Department practices totaled over 652,723 and inpatient admissions were more than 25,000.
Major hospital sites include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center, Pennsylvania Hospital, Chester County Hospital and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Department faculty also staff regional multi-disciplinary practice sites located throughout the mid-Atlantic region. The most recent BRIM Ranking Tables of NIH Funding lists the Department of Medicine at Penn #9 in funding amongst all departments of medicine in U.S. medical schools, with a total of $98,343,621 in grant support. Department faculty publish over 100 high-impact manuscripts annually in the top 10 biomedical journals. Department of Medicine faculty members hold major leadership positions in the UME, GME, and CME educational programs of the Perelman School of Medicine. This large clinical, research, and education enterprise is supported by over 1,000 non-faculty personnel.
Rich in tradition, uncompromisingly committed to excellence in academic medicine, and endowed with gifted and dedicated faculty and trainees, Penn’s Department of Medicine is well-positioned to lead academic medicine into the 21st century.
Mission
As the nation's first Department of Medicine, Penn Medicine maintains high standards with dedicated research laboratories and facilities while being a leader in advancing patient care through research and clinical trials. In accordance with the mission of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, the Department of Medicine is committed to the advancing science and the knowledge of medicine, and pursuing the highest standards in patient-centered care. Our Department is dedicated to:
- Developing leaders in academic medicine by providing comprehensive clinical training in an environment that promotes biomedical research and medical education.
- Expanding the frontiers of medicine through new discoveries in biomedical sciences with the goal of understanding, detection, treatment, and prevention of human disease;
- Enhancing our patients’ well-being through application of the latest medical and scientific advances, delivered with skill, integrity, respect, and compassion;
- Serving our community, country and the community of nations with the goal of improving global health and decreasing the burden of disease.
- Providing a nurturing and supportive environment that promotes personal and professional growth and a culture that recognizes the value of collaboration and diversity of perspectives and opinions.