Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University () is the oldest and largest medical school and the oldest of any kind of university faculty in
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
. The faculty is now part of
Mahidol University
Mahidol University is an autonomous university, autonomous public university, public research university in Thailand. The university was founded as part of Siriraj Hospital in 1888. It was first called the University of Medical Science in 1943, ...
. Founded in 1889, the faculty was run in co-operation with
Siriraj Hospital, the first public hospital in Thailand, which provides students with clinical experience. The faculty's campus and hospital is in the
Bangkok Noi District,
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, on the former
Rear Palace. The medical school accepts about 250 students for undergraduate education and more than 100 to postgraduate studies each year.
History
Siriraj Hospital, the first
public hospital
A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is predominantly funded by the government and operates predominantly off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In almost al ...
in Siam, was founded in 1888 under commissions and subsidy of King
Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...
, named after the deceased Prince
Siriraj Kakudhabhand. However, the modern medical practitioners were still lacking as they refused to come under government's employments. The medical school was established in May 1889 known as Bhatayakorn School ( i.e. School of Medical Practitioners). Any students who finished their Mattayom education were admitted for free for a three-year course. The school was originally taught solely by
George B. McFarland. On May 1, 1893, King Chulalongkorn changed the name of the school to Rajapaethayalai ( i.e. Royal Medical College) with McFarland as the first director of the school. The school facilities and the dormitories were constructed.
In 1903, the course was expanded to four years. In 1913,
Prince of Chainat, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education , added the natural sciences into the curriculum in addition to the medical sciences and the course was expanded to five years. The Traditional Thai Medicine major was abolished in 1915 and instead the Pharmacy major was established. On April 6, 1917, the Rajapaethayalai was annexed to newly founded
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
(founded by
Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh (1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth Monarchy of Thailand, king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama VI. He reigned from 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts to create and pro ...
's earlier decree in 1917). The medical school became the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University () and was later renamed to Faculty of Medicine and Siriraj Hospital (). At
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
, in 1918, the medical course was expanded to six years - with first four pre-clinical years at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
and later two clinical years at the Siriraj Faculty.
In 1921, Siam, with
Prince Mahidol the ''Krom Khun'' Songkla as the agent, negotiated with the
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The foundation was created by Standard Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (" ...
to send aids for Siamese medical system and education. Men from Rockefeller reformed the medical education including Prof. A.G.Ellis who introduced
pathology
Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...
. In 1928, the medical certificate were granted to the students for the first time during their graduation. And in 1932, the first postgraduate medical students and first female medical students finished their educations.

As a part of educational reforms under the government led by General
Phibun, the Siriraj Faculty of Medicine, along with departments of Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Science, were carved out from Chulalongkorn University and were re-organized into the University of Medical Sciences () on February 7, 1943. In 1958, the Medical Science Preparatory School (now
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University) was established and the first-year students had then received preliminary education from that Preparatory School at
Phaya Thai. The Siriraj Faculty became one of the several medical schools within the University of Medical Sciences.
On February 21, 1969, an announcement under the name of King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej (5 December 192713 October 2016), titled Rama IX, was King of Thailand from 1946 until Death and funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej, his death in 2016. His reign of 70 years and 126 days is the longest of any List of Thai mo ...
declared the name of the medical university to be changed to Mahidol University. The school name was changed to Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital (; deleting the "and"). In 1983, the Salaya campus was completed and the Faculty of Science was partially moved to Salaya campus, so as the education of Siriraj's first-year students.
Under the patronage of Prince
Mahidol Adulyadej and support from the
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The foundation was created by Standard Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (" ...
, Siriraj became one of the most advanced medical services and research centers in Thailand and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
.
The Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital is one of the two medical schools within
Mahidol University
Mahidol University is an autonomous university, autonomous public university, public research university in Thailand. The university was founded as part of Siriraj Hospital in 1888. It was first called the University of Medical Science in 1943, ...
. The younger sister is the
Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University.
Departments
*Department of Anatomy
*Department of Anesthesiology
*Department of Biochemistry
*Department of Clinical Pathology
*Department of Dermatology
*Department of Forensic Medicine
*Department of Immunology
*Department of Medicine
*Department of Microbiology
*Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
*Department of Ophthalmology
*Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
*Department of Otolaryngology
*Department of Parasitology
*Department of Pathology
*Department of Pediatrics
*Department of Pharmacology
*Department of Physiology
*Department of Preventive and Social Medicine
*Department of Psychiatrics
*Department of Radiology
*Department of Rehabilitstion Medicine
*Department of Surgery
*Department of Transfusion Medicine
*Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine
*Medical Education Technology Center
*Siriraj Cancer Center
*Office for Research and Development
*Her Majesty Cardiac Center
Programs
The faculty now offers five undergraduate programs, ten postgraduate programs, and five doctorate programs.
Apart from regular programs, the Siriraj faculty also offers numerous resident
specialty programs, sub-specialty programs, and
fellowship
A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...
programs.
As of the 2018 intake, 302 undergraduate medical students are accepted through a variety of categories
Medical Museum
Siriraj Hospital has a number of exhibits in a
Siriraj Medical Museum that is open from 9 am to 4 pm Monday to Saturday. The bulk of the exhibits are located on the second floor in the hospital's Adulayadejvikrom Building. They include a forensic medicine museum, displaying objects from homicide, suicide and accident cases, such as skulls, bones, skeletons, preserved body parts and organs, including the entire preserved body of a convicted murder. The skeleton of Dr. Songkran Niyomsane, who founded the forensic museum is displayed as well. The exhibit also contains the autopsy instruments that were used in the case of King
Ananda Mahidol's mysterious death.
Other exhibitions are devoted to Thai traditional medicine, anatomy, prehistoric artifacts, rare diseases and parasitic organisms.
Main Teaching Hospital
*
Siriraj Hospital
Affiliated Teaching Hospitals
* Bangkok
**
Lerdsin Hospital
**
Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital
**
Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital
**
Somdech Phra Pinklao Hospital,
Naval Medical Department
**
Taksin Hospital
**
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration General Hospital
**
Sirindhorn Hospital
* Provincial
**
Phra Nang Klao Hospital
Phra Nang Klao Hospital () is the main public hospital of Nonthaburi Province, Thailand and is classified under the Ministry of Public Health as a regional hospital. It is capable of initial tertiary-level care. Its closest rapid transit station ...
,
Nonthaburi Province
**
Nakhon Pathom Hospital,
Nakhon Pathom Province
Nakhon Pathom (, ,Pronunciation) is one of the central Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Suphan Buri province, Suphan Buri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, Ayutthaya ...
**
Samut Sakhon Hospital,
Samut Sakhon Province
**
Ban Phaeo General Hospital, Samut Sakhon Province
**
Krathum Baen Hospital, Samut Sakhon Province
**
Phaholpolpayuhasena Hospital,
Kanchanaburi Province
Kanchanaburi (, ) is the largest of the western Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. The neighboring provinces are (clockwise, from the north) Tak province, Tak, Uthai Thani province, Uthai Thani, Suphan Buri province, Sup ...
**
Hua Hin Hospital,
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan (, ) is one of the western Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It is in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, some south of Bangkok. Neighboring provinces include Phetchaburi province, Phetchabu ...
**
Damnoen Saduak Hospital,
Ratchaburi Province
Ratchaburi province (, ) or Rat Buri () is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in Western Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and ...
**
Ban Pong Hospital, Ratchaburi Province
**
Photharam Hospital, Ratchaburi Province
**
Sawanpracharak Hospital
Sawanpracharak Hospital () is the main hospital of Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand and is classified under the Ministry of Public Health as a regional hospital. It has a CPIRD Medical Education Center which trains doctors for the MOPH-Mahidol CP ...
,
Nakhon Sawan Province
Nakhon Sawan (, , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat''). It lies in lower northern Thailand, neighbouring the provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phetchabun, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, and Tak (cl ...
**
Buddhachinaraj Phitsanulok Hospital,
Phitsanulok Province
Non-teaching Hospitals Operated
*
Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital
*
Golden Jubilee Medical Center
See also
*
List of medical schools in Thailand
*
Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
*
Mahidol University
Mahidol University is an autonomous university, autonomous public university, public research university in Thailand. The university was founded as part of Siriraj Hospital in 1888. It was first called the University of Medical Science in 1943, ...
References
External links
Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol UniversityFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University the younger sister medical school o
Mahidol University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Faculty Of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Siriraj
Siriraj
Siriraj
University departments in Thailand