Meharry Medical College

What is the history of Meharry Medical College?

Meharry Medical College was founded in Nashville in 1876 as the medical department of Central Tennessee College. It was established to educate Black physicians at a time when racial exclusion sharply limited their access to medical training.

The institution later became an independent medical college. Its dental school, established in the nineteenth century, extended that original purpose to oral health care. Meharry is a historically Black institution, but its programs admit students of all backgrounds. Its history remains relevant to applicants interested in health professions education, research, and care for populations that have faced barriers to treatment.

What are the faculties and departments at Meharry Medical College?

Meharry is a specialized graduate and professional institution, not a conventional undergraduate college. Its principal academic units are the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, and School of Graduate Studies and Research.

The School of Medicine offers the Doctor of Medicine degree; the School of Dentistry offers the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Graduate study includes biomedical science and public health fields. Applicants should check the current program directory for the exact degrees, concentrations, prerequisites, and delivery formats available in their intended entry year.

That distinction matters for first-time college applicants: Meharry is generally a destination after substantial undergraduate preparation, rather than a place to begin a standard four-year bachelor's degree.

What is the location of Meharry Medical College?

Meharry Medical College is in Nashville, Tennessee, at 1005 Dr. D. B. Todd Jr. Boulevard. Its urban setting places students near clinical, research, and community health organizations, though the location of a particular rotation or placement depends on the program.

Applicants should plan for the practicalities of an urban commute. Classes, laboratories, clinical sites, and off-campus housing may require different trips; public transit may not fit every early-morning or evening clinical schedule. Nashville International Airport serves the region, but daily transportation needs are more important when evaluating where to live.

What is the mission and vision of Meharry Medical College?

Meharry describes its mission in terms of educating health professionals and scientists, conducting research, and providing care with particular attention to underserved communities. Its institutional identity is closely tied to its founding as a historically Black medical college.

For prospective students, the practical question is how that mission appears in a specific curriculum: community-based learning, clinical placements, research, and public health training differ by degree. Meharry's stated priorities explain its educational focus; they do not, by themselves, establish a particular student's clinical or career outcome.