Centennial Timeline - CMB Foundation

Unless otherwise noted, images are courtesy of the Rockefeller Archive Center.

1914

China Medical Board launched as the second major program of the newly established Rockefeller Foundation to put the ideas of the China Medical Commission Study into practice.

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China Medical Board Launched

Medicine in China: A report published by the China Medical Commission of the Rockefeller Foundation.

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Commission Report

1915

A photo gallery.

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Construction of Peking Union Medical College

1916

Eradicating Hookworm Disease in Colonial Sri Lanka: Early Lessons from the American South

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Eradicating Hookworm Disease in Colonial Sri Lanka (Rockefeller Foundation)

1917

CMB establishes Peking Union Medical College for introducing Western medicine into China, followed by inauguration in 1921 of PUMC buildings and campus.

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CMB establishes PUMC

1919

PUMC is the first co-educational medical school in China, admitting women for nursing.

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PUMC becomes China's first co-educational medical school

1921

Fourteen members of the Board of Trustees, including John D. Rockfeller, Jr. and Chairman of the Board, Martin Ryerson from the University of Chicago.

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Meeting of the first Board of Trustees, September 1921

A photo gallery

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PUMC inauguration

X-Ray Technology at PUMC, 1921-1928.

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X-Ray Technology at Peking Union Medical College

1924

PUMC scientists discover and isolate ephedrine from the Chinese herb mahuang (ephedra sinica).

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PUMC scientists isolate ephedrine

1925

Dr. Sun Yat-sen, China's first president, passes away in the PUMC Hospital on March 12.

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Dr. Sun Yat-sen passes away in PUMC Hospital

Dr. John Grant and C.C. Chen start the first health field station in Beijing, followed by rural work in Dingxian, which eventually develops into the "barefoot doctor" model.

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First Beijing Health Station established

1926

Dr. Davidson Black discovers Peking Man and conducts paleontology studies in PUMC's Department of Anatomy.

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Discovery of Peking Man

Part 2 of a three part series on the history of Rockefeller engagement and the development of public health in Sri Lanka.

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The Health Unit Program in Sri Lanka (Rockefeller Foundation)

1928

CMB receives a Rockefeller Foundation endowment of $12 million to create an independent foundation for advancing health in China.

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CMB's first endowment from Rockefeller Foundation

1929

Hu Shih joins the PUMC Board of Trustees in 1929. He serves as chairman from 1946 to 1949.

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Hu Shih joins PUMC Board of Trustees

Part 3 of a three-part series on the history of Rockefeller engagement and the development of public health in Sri Lanka.

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The beginnings of public health nursing in Sri Lanka (Rockefeller Foundation)

1932

PUMC doctors and nurses care for wounded soldiers during Japanese invasion and treat sickness during natural disasters, including flood relief.

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PUMC Hospital treats wartime wounded

1935

Selskar Gunn, a Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation, started a rural reconstruction project in Northern China with the goal of meeting all the needs of local communities there.

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Selskar Gunn and the Rural Reconstruction Project in Northern China (Rockefeller Foundation)

Rockefeller philanthropies promoted coordinated attempts to control or eliminate malaria in the 20th century by attacking the mosquito vector using insecticides such as DDT.

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The history of Rockefeller antimalarial efforts

1942

After PUMC was taken over during World War II, the Japanese intern PUMC Director Henry S. Houghton, who remained captive for 4 years (1942-1946).

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Henry Houghton interned in Japanese-occupied PUMC

1947

PUMC reopens with 22 medical and 16 nursing students, led by C.U. Lee, its first Chinese Director, and CMB receives a second Rockefeller endowment gift of $10 million.

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PUMC reopens

1950

In the 1950s and 1960s, CMB concentrated on rebuilding medical institutions that had been devastated by World War II. During the second half of the twentieth century, CMB spent $151 million on medical education in Asia.

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CMB support is directed at rebuilding medical institutions (1950-1969)

1951

CMB revamps its program to countries of the Far East, including fellowships for students and visiting professors. CMB would eventually fund 784 Asian fellows over the next 20 years.

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East Asia fellowships for medical education (1951-1973)

CMB withdraws from the newly formed People's Republic of China. CMB would not return for almost 30 years.

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PUMC is nationalized, and CMB under Harold Loucks leaves mainland China

1952

CMB funds Visiting Professors, purchases books and journals for medical schools and other equipment and construction for medical libraries.

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Medical schools in Taiwan and Japan become CMB grantees

1953

Medical schools in Myanmar, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand become CMB grantees.

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CMB expands into East and Southeast Asia

1956

CMB makes a grant to the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital to convene the first conference on medical education in Thailand.

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First medical education conference in Thailand

1957

The first grants CMB made to Vietnam were to assist medical libraries.

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Medical schools in Vietnam become CMB grantees

1960

The fellowship was created to commemorate Dr. Gregg’s leadership in the field of medical education, enabling a U.S. faculty member to study in Asia to increase their effectiveness as a medical educator.

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First Alan Gregg Travel Fellowship in Medical Education awarded

1966

Dr. Kojiro Matsuda, a leading physiologist in Japan and a CMB Visiting Professor, becomes the first foreign medical educator at a U.S. institution.

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First foreign medical educator at a U.S. institution

1973

CMB under President Pat Ongley emphasizes grantmaking and starts matching funds and endowment grants.

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CMB emphasizes grantmaking

1977

CMB begins to support the development of nursing education and training programs, starting with support for two nursing schools in Thailand and two in Korea.

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CMB supports nursing education

1981

CMB accepts the Chinese government's invitation to return to mainland China, embarking on a new era of collaboration with 8-13 Chinese medical schools.

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CMB returns to mainland China

1988

Mekong countries of Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos become CMB grantees, as do Mongolia and Nepal.

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Medical universities from five countries become CMB grantees

1990

CMB is the first nongovernmental organization to be invited into Myanmar in 30 years. Myanmar's government asked CMB to assess the country's medical education situation.

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CMB goes to Myanmar

1992

CMB works with Chulalongkorn professors to support the development of a new Chulalongkorn School of Public Health in Thailand.

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Chulalongkorn School of Public Health

1994

With CMB support, the Program in Higher Education in Nursing Development (POHNED) enables Chinese nursing educators to earn advanced degrees at Chiang Mai University in Thailand and builds cross-border cooperation in health professional education.

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POHNED Nursing program initiated

1995

Under CMB President Bill Sawyer, Tibet Medical College is established from a provincial training school.

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Tibet Medical College established

1998

The first President's Council meeting is conducted under President Roy Schwarz to bring together leaders from CMB related medical universities.

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CMB President's Council started

2002

GMER program launched in four Chinese medical universities.

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CMB launches the Global Minimum Educational Requirements program

2006

Under President Lincoln Chen, CMB focuses on strengthening capacity in health policy and systems sciences.

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Strengthening health policy in China

2008

CMB Rural Health Network, consisting of 12 schools mostly in Western China, is established.

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CMB Rural Health Network established

CMB launches The Lancet China Health Series.

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The Lancet China Health Series

2010

"Health professionals for a new century; transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world."

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Lancet Commission

2011

In early 2011, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India form the Five Country Asia Network (5-C Network) to promote regional exchange on health professional reform.

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5-C Network established

CMB Beijing representative office is officially registered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

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CMB Beijing office established

Scientists from 10 countries in Southeast Asia map the health conditions of their region in a special Lancet series, Health in Southeast Asia.

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Health in Southeast Asia Lancet Series

2014

CMB marks its 100th anniversary with celebrations in Bangkok, Seoul, New York City, and Beijing!

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Centennial Celebration