The School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia was first established in June 1979. In the early development of the school, the pre-clinical years were carried out in the Penang campus while the clinical years were conducted at the Kelantan campus. The school was fully operational at Kubang Kerian, Kelantan by June 1990. The Kubang Kerian, Kelantan Campus was established on 220 acres of land and it encompasses the School of Medical Sciences and the USM Teaching Hospital, which was established in October 1983. The move to the Kelantan campus consolidated further the academic, service and research activities of the school.
More recently, two new schools have been estalished. The School of Dental Sciences and Allied Health Sciences are now also fully operational. The kelantan campus is now known as the Health Campus, USM and also houses the Kelantan branch of INFORMM, a research institute for research in molecular medicine. Kubang Kerian is 6.6 km from Kota Bharu, the state capital of Kelantan. Kota Bharu has a population of around 420,000 while Kelantan state population is 1.2 million.
The main Universiti Sains Malaysia ( USM ) campus is located in Minden, Penan and was established in 1969. USM was founded after an agreement made on a resolution approved by the Penang State Legislative Council in 1962, which suggested that a university college be established in the state. An area in Sungai Ara was identified and later the foundation stone was placed by the then Prime Minister, Y.T.M Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj on the 7th of August 1967.
In 1969, the University of Penang was established in responce to the need for a larger campus with a more conducive environment, appropriate to the needs of the future of the country. In April 1969, Professor Hamzah Sendut was elected the first Vice-Chancellor. Two months later, a group of 57 students was accepted to begin their studies. Since the area in Sungai Ara could not be developed as fast as required, the group was placed at the Malaysian Teachers' Training College at Bukit Gelugor on loan from the Education Ministry. In 1971, the campus, which was originally planned to be situated in Sungai Ara moved to its present site, Minden, an area measuring 500 acres.
USM has since grown to now include the main campus in Penang, Health Campus in Kelantan and the Engineering Campus in Seberang Perai. Currently there are 24 Schools, 5 Institutes and 14 Centres of Excellence with a total students population ( undergraduate and postgraduate ) of more than 35,000.
( 1979 ) School of Medical Sciences was established in the Main Campus, Penang.
( 1981 ) Intake of the first batch of medical students in Penang.
( 1983 ) Hospital USM in Kelantan was officially opened by DYMM Sultan of Kelantan.
( 1984 ) The first batch of medical students began their clinical training in HUSM.
( 1986 ) The first batch of medical students graduated·
The first MSc student enrolled
( 1988 ) The beginning of Master of Medicine programs*
( 1989 ) The first PhD student enrolled
( 1990 ) The historic move from Penang campus to Kelantan campus
( 1992 ) The first batch of Masters of Medicine graduated
( 1996 ) Phase 2 of Medical School and HUSM complex completed
( 1998 ) Establishment of School of Dental Sciences (PPSG)·
The first batch of MSc in Sports Sciences enrolled
( 1999 ) Establishment School of Health Sciences (PPSK)
( 2001 ) Establishment of Clinical Skill Center
( 2002 ) Dental School officially opened by Minister of Education
( 2003 ) HUSM celebrated the 20th anniversary·
Establishment of Advanced Institute of Medicine and Dentistry·
Establishment of Institute of Research in Molecular Medicine·
Commencement of Master of Medical Biostatistics, Medical Education and Clinical Anatomy
( 2004 ) Clinical Skill Center officially opened by Minister of Higher Education·
25th anniversary of Medical School
Master of Medicine (Mmed) programs
( 1988 ) Internal Medicine·
( 1991 ) Paediatrics, Surgery, Orthoapedics, O&G·
( 1992 ) Pathology·
( 1993 ) Anaesthesiology·
( 1995 ) Radiology, Family Medicine·
( 1996 ) Psychiatry·
( 1997 ) Ophtalmology, Otorhinolaryngology·
( 1998 ) Community Medicine, Emergency Medicine·
( 1999 ) Family Medicine·
( 2001 ) Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery
