1905
King Edward VII College of Medicine
1823 - Sir Stamford Raffles and distinguished sinologist missionary, Dr Robert Morison met to discuss an idea to establish a Singapore institution of higher studies with a scientific department as well as literary and moral departments for the different races.
1903 - Representatives of the Chinese communities, led by Chinese Legislative Councillor Tan Jiak Kim, and other communities of Singapore, petitioned the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir John Anderson for the establishment of a medical school.
1905 - The Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was founded with donations of $87,000 raised by the Chinese community, including a personal donation of $12,000 by Tan Jiak Kim. The School began with an enrolment of 23 students and was located in a former female lunatic asylum at Sepoy Lines.
1912 - The name of the Medical School was changed to King Edward VII Medical School in recognition of a gift of $124,800 from the King Edward VII Memorial Fund for the endowment of a professorship of Physiology. The Planters’ Association of Malaya donated $1,629.28 to found a scholarship in memory of the late W.W. Bailey while Highlands and Lowlands Rubber Company, Selangor and Sungei Way Rubber Companies pledged annual subscriptions of $800 to the W.W. Bailey Memorial Fund. The Chair of Physiology was established with Dr J.A. Campbell (1913-1921) as the first holder.
1916 - The General Council of Medical Education of Great Britain accorded official recognition for the King Edward VII School of Medicine’s Licentiate of Medicine and Surgery Diploma.
1916 - The Federated Malay States Hostel for 72 male students was built and funded by the FMS Government.
1920 - The Medical School’s name was changed to King Edward VII College of Medicine to lend academic status as an institution providing professional training of university standard; chairs of anatomy, medicine, midwifery and gynaecology, clinical surgery and surgery were also created.
1925 - Chairs of bacteriology, biochemistry and biology were created with an endowment of $350,000 from the Rockefeller foundation.
1926 - A new Medical College building was completed in Outram Road and officially opened by Governor Sir Lawrence Guillemard.
1929 - The School of Dentistry in Medical College admitted its first enrolment of students and opened a public clinic at King Edward VII Medical College.
1934 - The League of Nations honoured the College by selecting it as the centre for the International Course in Malariology.
1942 - During the Japanese Occupation, the College served as the Japanese army’s headquarters and was selected to house its serological unit.
1945 - The Japanese surrendered in Singapore and the British returned; medical students pushed for the re-opening of the College.
1946 - The College reopened following the end of the Second World War; the British Medical Council recognised the Dental Surgery degree.
1948 - Dr Benjamin Sheares, who later became Singapore’s second President in 1971, was appointed Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department in the College.