Where Tradition Meets Innovation

Johns Hopkins Medicine has a rich history rooted in philanthropy, diversity, inclusion and a passion for innovation. Over more than 125 years since the founding of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the opening of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, we've made  significant advancements that helped set a standard for other institutions and shape the medical field into what it is today.

The History of Our Hospitals

Each of our hospitals comes with a rich history of fostering medical innovation and providing compassionate care to people in their communities.

A Storied History

  • Who Was Johns Hopkins?

    From grocer to philanthropist, a man named Johns Hopkins laid out a plan to use his wealth to establish a hospital that would provide care to anyone, regardless of sex, age or race.

    Portrait of Johns Hopkins
  • History of Medical Innovation

    Johns Hopkins counts many "firsts" among its achievements, including the first to use rubber gloves during surgery and the first to develop renal dialysis and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

    Halsted operating team
  • The Role of Women in Johns Hopkins History

    From the first Johns Hopkins’ medical school class to present day, women have grown to be an integral part of John Hopkins Medicine.

    Caroline Bedell Thomas

Values That Withstood the Test of Time

Nearly a century and a half ago, our founder, Mr. Johns Hopkins, wrote a letter in which he established his vision for and values of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Those values – respect, dignity, integrity, inclusion, excellence, and diversity – still ring true today. They continue to provide us with inspiration and direction.

Johns Hopkins Medicine: Then and Now

Then: The Johns Hopkins Billings Administration Building

1900s Johns Hopkins Billings Building
Johns Hopkins Billings Administration Building
Johns Hopkins first medical school class 1897
Nancy Abu-Bonsrah
William H. Welch
Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Florence Sabin
Akila Viswanathan, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc.
Johns Hopkins chemistry lab 1910
Scientist working in a lab
Benjamin Carson and surgical team
Pediatric resident training session at The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center
Hurd Hall in the 1950s
Hurd Hall in 2017
Edwards Park, M.D.
Tina Chen, M.D., M.P.H.
Johns Hopkins physical chemisty lecture, 1903
Medical students in a lecture hall.
Johns Hopkins bedside teaching early 1900s
Physician with a patient
William Halsted's All-Star Surgery in 1901
Johns Hopkins landmark first bilateral arm transplant

The Johns Hopkins Billings building in the early 1900s. It served as a residence to doctors in training until the 1950s. As a result, those trainees came to be referred to as residents.