History

The School of Medicine in Shreveport was authorized by an act of the Louisiana Legislature in 1965 as a part of the former LSU Medical Center. In 1966 the Legislature authorized The LSU System to issue $10 million in bonds to initiate establishment and construction of the School. The first class of 32 students was enrolled in September 1969, and the first doctor of medicine degrees were awarded in May 1973. Beginning in 1975, first year enrollment was increased to approximately 100 students. The permanent buildings of the School were completed in 1975 and are immediately adjacent and connected to the Louisiana State University Hospital in Shreveport, licensed for 436 beds. School facilities include a Comprehensive Care teaching facility, designed to provide an environment where students may learn by active participation in the care of ambulatory patients and basic and clinical science buildings, which also house the Medical Library. In 2000, the Shreveport campus received legislative approval to for complete autonomy from New Orleans and has seen tremendous growth since that time. The size of the medical school classes have continued to increase through the years with 2020 class having 150 students. To accommodate past and future growth, the Center for Medical Education and Wellness, a new start of the art facility, is slated to start construction in early 2021.

Medical students enjoy a robust clinical experience with the primary teaching hospitals being Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport (OLHS) Academic Medical Center in Shreveport and OLHS Monroe Medical Center. Students also have access to rotations at the VA Medical Center, Shriner’s Hospital for Children and other community hospitals. Students also have the opportunity to engage in seminal research projects at the Biomedical Research Institute which is fully leased by the health sciences center.

The following individuals have served as Dean of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Shreveport since its authorization in 1965: