Sixty years ago, Florida lawmakers made a visionary decision that reshaped Tampa Bay鈥檚 health and economic landscape. In 1965, they founded what would become the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. That small community-based medical school, which opened in 1971 and graduated its first class in 1974, has evolved into a nationally ranked, research-intensive academic medical center鈥攁nd one of Florida鈥檚 greatest public assets.
From Regional School to National Leader
Over the past decade, USF Health has undergone a remarkable transformation. Ranked 80th among U.S. medical schools just 11 years ago, we are now recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Top 16 research-intensive medical schools in the country鈥攖he only top-tier program in Florida. Our medical education program was recently named #1 in the nation by the Center for Accountability in Medicine鈥檚 Medical Excellence Index, the only U.S. medical school to earn a perfect score for merit-based admissions, academic rigor, and student outcomes.
Our partner hospitals 鈥� Tampa General Hospital (TGH), Moffitt Cancer Center, and the James A. Haley Veterans鈥� Hospital 鈥� have advanced in national prominence alongside us. Together, we are building the Tampa Medical and Research District, generating thousands of jobs, attracting biotechnology startups, and expanding access to high-acuity care.
USF Health faculty now deliver some of the nation鈥檚 most advanced care. This year, TGH surgeons performed /health/news/2025/usf-tgh-perform-worlds-first-bloodless-heart-liver-transplant-surgery.aspx. USF-FOI orthopedic microsurgeons at Florida鈥檚 only Level 1 trauma center reattached the hand of a 9-year-old , restoring full motion. Such stories capture how academic medicine saves lives through teamwork and innovation.
To read the entire article in The Bulletin of the Hillsborough County Medical Association, .