History
 Eastern
Virginia Medical School holds an honored position in American history as
the only school of medicine
founded by a grassroots effort of the local
community.
Even though EVMS was
brand new, it already had deep roots and a strong sense of identity.
Planning for the medical school started in the early 1960s as the region
turned its attention to improving the quality of care in the region.
The idea of a medical school in Hampton
Roads gained momentum in 1964 when local citizens persuaded the Virginia
General Assembly to create a medical authority charged with starting a
school.
 Fundraising
for the proposed medical school began in 1970, as a group of community
leaders launched a $15 million campaign. By the time EVMS
matriculated its first class in 1973, the EVMS Foundation had attracted
$17 million in gifts and pledges.
The school also had attracted much-needed
medical specialists to a region where many basic services were lacking.
Today, 2,300 physicians hold degrees from
EVMS, including 500 who practice in Hampton Roads and 300 who practice
in other regions of Virginia. In addition, the school has a growing
health professions program, with programs in biomedical sciences, public
health, and other specialties.
Approximately 180,000 people received
medical care from physicians and health professionals at EVMS.
 Besides boosting the Hampton Roads economy annually by more
than half a billion dollars and creating more than 10,500 jobs, EVMS has
put the region on the map internationally for biomedical research.
Reproductive medicine and research in pediatrics, geriatrics, diabetes,
and cancer are among the areas where EVMS excels.
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