In the spring of 1896, only months after Röntgen’s discovery of the “mysterious X-rays,” University of Maryland faculty member and gastroenterologist John C. Hemmeter, MD, published one of the first articles on contrast imaging of the human stomach. By summer of the same year, the university had installed its first X-ray machine, originally a part of the general services provided to surgical and emergency patients. The call for X-ray procedures––and specialized expertise in interpreting the shadowy images––led to the establishment of the hospital’s radiology service in 1900.
Although the small unit was originally staffed on a part-time basis by physicians who maintained private offices outside the hospital, the first half of the 20th century saw steady gains in radiological technique, staff, and training. In 1954, with the appointment of John M. Dennis, MD, as the permanent chair, the department began to be recognized for its clinical and academic contributions. Study volume and quality grew quickly thereafter, as did the numbers of faculty, residents, and other trainees. As the hospital grew, the department expanded from the North into the South building and more recently into the new Gudelsky and Weinberg buildings. Today, services are also provided at the adjacent Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center and at Maryland General Hospital, Kernan Hospital, University Medical Specialties Hospital, as well as at private offices at UIC and Shipley’s Choice.
A renewed focus on research activities has brought recognition for programs in informatics, MR and CT imaging, nuclear medicine, cardiac imaging, image-guided procedures, and forensic imaging. An infrastructure of dedicated research support staff has been added to encourage ongoing grant and funding efforts, both within the department and as part of a growing number of interdisciplinary and cooperative studies.
The University of Maryland had its beginning in Baltimore in 1807 with the founding of the fifth oldest medical school in this country. Since then, 6 other professional schools have been created on the Baltimore campus. The law school was commissioned in 1812. The world's first professional dental school was founded here in 1840. A year later, the School of Pharmacy became the fourth pharmacy college in the nation. The School of Nursing was founded in 1889 by a graduate of the Florence Nightingale Nursing School, and its graduates are still entitled to wear the fluted "Nightingale cap." The Graduate School was initiated in 1918 and the School of Social Work and Community Planning in 1961. The University of Maryland undergraduate campus is located nearby in College Park, MD.
Today, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is recognized internationally for its outstanding educational, research, and training programs. More than 5,300 students are enrolled in degree programs within the 7 UMB schools, and more than 8,700 faculty and staff are employed on the urban campus. The 16-square block campus (36 acres) is located a few blocks from the heart of this historic city's business district and the revitalized Inner Harbor–Harborplace, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and the Baltimore Ravens' football stadium.
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