School of Medicine Historic Preservation

In 1951, the University of Utah School of Medicine opened the Cancer Research Building, today referred to as the Medical Research and Education Building (MREB). Over a decade later, the new Medical Center – the E-shaped behemoth with ‘School of Medicine’ blazoned on the side – opened in 1965. By the time you are reading this, both of these buildings might be gone, and a new School of Medicine should be standing near where they once were. A joint project between the School of Medicine and the American West Center, this research documents both the construction and use history of these buildings. Cadavers for dissection, a solid steel radiation counting chamber, and of course, generations of medical students found their homes in these buildings. The Cancer Research Building and Medical Center dramatically expanded both the quality and capacity for research, education, and patient care performed at the University, a legacy which will continue in the new Medical Center.

Link to a brief history of the University of Utah School of Medicine here.

These two photos are from the Marriot Library’s collection of pictures from the Salt Lake Tribune. The first photo, taken April 11, 1951, shows the Cancer Research Building shortly after it opened. The second photo, taken August 6, 1964, shows the Medical Center.