Thomas Jefferson University is a private health sciences university in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The university consists of six constituent colleges and schools: Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Biomedical Sciences, Jefferson College of Health Professions, Jefferson College of Nursing, Jefferson College of Pharmacy, and Jefferson College of Population Health.HistoryAlthough today Thomas Jefferson University includes many different graduate programs, it began as a medical school. During the early 19th century, several attempts to create a second medical school in Philadelphia had been stymied, largely due to the efforts of University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine alumni. In an attempt to circumvent that opposition, a group of Philadelphia physicians led by Dr. George McClellan sent a letter to the trustees of Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania (now Washington & Jefferson College) in 1824, asking the College to establish a medical department in Philadelphia. The trustees agreed, establishing the Medical Department of Jefferson College in Philadelphia in 1825. In response to a second request, the Pennsylvania General Assembly granted an expansion of Jefferson College's charter in 1826, endorsing the creation of the new department and allowing it to grant medical degrees. An additional 10 Jefferson College trustees were appointed to supervise the new facility from Philadelphia, owing to the difficulty of managing a medical department on the other side of the state. Two years later, this second board was granted authority to manage the Medical Department, while the Jefferson College trustees maintained veto power for major decisions.
