In 1824, Thomas Jefferson thought that due to the sickly nature of Norfolk’s climate that it would be the ideal place for a medical school for his alma mater, The College of William & Mary. Nothing happened. By the 1960s, the area didn’t have enough doctors for the population. In 1964, the Virginia General Assembly moved forward with the idea of a medical school in the Hampton Roads area, but it wasn’t until 1973 the Eastern Virginia Medical School accepted its first class. Today, EVMS is one of the premier medical centers in the state including the areas only Level 1 trauma center, and the only stand-alone children’s hospital (CHKD) in Virginia. In 2012, the school announced a merger with The College of William & Mary. Jefferson’s idea finally happened…only 188 years later!
When did the first class start at EVMS?
a) 1973 N 36 51.807 W 076 17.994
b) 1824 N 36 51.658 W 076 18.013