College of Medicine 50th Anniversary Oral History Project

On a cold, dreary day in December 1957, the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new medical center took place. What was once a cornfield in a section of the University's Agriculture Experimental Station farm was on its way to becoming a world-class medical center. The unwavering devotion of so many people throughout the years, from Lexington physicians to government and university officials, made this momentous occasion possible. Without the insight of these visionaries, the accomplishments and milestones attained at the Medical Center may have never occurred. These interviews were conducted with some of the first physicians and visionaries of the Medical Center. They discuss the planning and establishment of the facility; the selection of a director, department heads, and staff; the relationship between the Center and the rest of the University; the Center's growth; and Frank Dickey, John W. Oswald and A.B. (Happy) Chandler.