Historical Impact

Since its founding in 1810, Yale School of Medicine has played a defining role in the evolution of modern medicine. Through sustained contributions to scientific research, medical education, and clinical practice, the School has helped shape how disease is understood, how physicians are trained, and how patient care is delivered.

Yale investigators have advanced knowledge across disciplines — from the biological mechanisms of disease to innovations in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Its distinctive educational model has influenced academic medicine nationally, while its faculty physicians have contributed to standards of care that extend across the globe.

The stories collected here examine discoveries, clinical milestones, and institutional decisions that reflect Yale’s enduring influence on biomedical science and health care. Together, they trace a history not only of achievement, but of ideas that have shaped the trajectory of modern medicine.

Explore a timeline of discoveries and institutional moments that shaped Yale’s role in modern medicine.

Heartbeats and Genomes
How Yale helped create modern fetal medicine: Yale physicians pioneered fetal monitoring, ultrasound imaging, and prenatal genetics—transforming care before birth.
America’s First X-Ray
How Yale Advanced Medical Imaging: In 1896, Yale physicist Arthur Wright produced one of America’s first X-ray images, helping launch modern medical imaging in the United States.
From Erector Set to Heart Bypass
How Yale Transformed Cardiac Surgery: Using parts from an Erector set, a medical student demonstrated that mechanical circulation could sustain temporary life—paving the way for modern open-heart surgery.