St George's, University of London

St George's, University of London
Name	St George's, University of London
Established	1733
Type	Public medical school
Parent	University of London
Chancellor	The Princess Royal (University of London)
Principal	Jenny Higham
Location	Tooting, London, England
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	NHS England, UK Research and Innovation

St George's, University of London. It is a constituent college of the University of London and the United Kingdom's only independent medical school. Founded in 1733, it is the oldest medical school in England after those at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The institution is located on the site of St George's Hospital in Tooting, with which it shares a long and integrated history, and is a major centre for medical education and biomedical research.

History

The institution traces its origins to 1733 with the founding of St George's Hospital at Hyde Park Corner, where physicians began formal training of apprentices. Key early figures included the surgeon John Hunter, whose pioneering work in surgery and pathology established a legacy of clinical excellence. In 1834, the formal medical school was established, and it became part of the University of London in 1836. The school moved to its current site in Tooting in 1976 following the relocation of St George's Hospital. A significant merger occurred in 1995 with the University of London's Kingston Polytechnic nursing and midwifery programmes, expanding its healthcare remit. It was granted degree-awarding powers in 2006.

Campus and facilities

The primary campus is co-located with St George's Hospital, forming part of the larger St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Tooting. This integrated environment provides students with immediate access to clinical settings. Key facilities include the Atkinson Morley Wing, which houses the Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, and the Clinical Skills Centre, featuring advanced simulation suites. The Jenner Wing contains core teaching laboratories and the Hunter Wing is home to the main library, named after John Hunter. The campus also includes the Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute and is adjacent to Tooting Bec Common.

Academic profile

St George's specializes in medicine, biomedical science, and healthcare sciences, offering undergraduate degrees in Medicine, Biomedical Science, and Healthcare Science. Its medical programme is delivered in partnership with Kingston University, known as the St George's and Kingston University joint medical course. Postgraduate offerings include taught and research degrees in fields like Physician Associate studies, Global Health, and Clinical Neuroscience. Teaching is heavily clinically focused from the outset, utilizing the adjacent NHS hospital and partnerships with trusts like Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

Research

Research is organized within several institutes, primarily the Institute for Infection and Immunity, the Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, and the Population Health Research Institute. Major research strengths include cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, vaccinology, and stroke medicine. The institution is a member of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and hosts the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in partnership with the St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Notable contributions include work by Mark Caulfield in genomics and the development of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by alumna Sarah Gilbert.

Student life

The student body is represented by the St George's, University of London Students' Union, which is affiliated with the University of London Union. It supports over 50 societies, including the long-standing Medical Society and specialty groups like the Surgical Society. Sports teams compete in the University of London Sports League and use facilities at Tooting Bec Athletics Track and the Battersea Park sports centre. Traditional events include the annual Rag Week and the Hunterian Society lectures. Most student accommodation is provided in halls such as Horton Halls in Wandsworth.

Notable alumni and staff

Distinguished alumni include the pioneer of vaccination, Edward Jenner; the nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale; and the co-developer of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Dame Sarah Gilbert. Notable medical figures include the cardiologist Sir Magdi Yacoub and the former Chief Medical Officer for England, Dame Sally Davies. Historically, key staff have included the anatomist Henry Gray, author of Gray's Anatomy, and the physiologist William Bayliss, co-discoverer of hormones. More recent faculty include the geneticist Sir Mark Caulfield.

Category:University of London Category:Medical schools in London Category:1733 establishments in England