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50 Years of RUSH University History

RUSH University was officially founded in 1972 — but our roots run much deeper.

With a history spanning more than 180 years, RUSH has been part of the Chicago landscape longer than any other health care institution in the city. In fact, RUSH Medical College received its charter on March 2, 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was incorporated. RUSH Medical College was the first medical school in Chicago and one of the earliest in the Midwest.

With this timeline, take a journey through the stories of our predecessor schools, hospitals, and milestones to understand how we became today's RUSH University.