Willoughby Medical College 1834-1848

Two significant events in Ohio legislative history both occurred on March 3, 1834. Columbus was chartered as a city and Willoughby University of Lake Erie in Chagrin was chartered as a university. The new University included a medical department because it was the cheapest form of higher education to promote and operate. All that was needed was six physicians, a lecture hall, a room to store skeletons, specimens and chemical apparatus, and another room for wet anatomy.

A portrait of Dr. Westel Willoughby, Jr. Included in The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Blanchester, Ohio: The Brown Publishing Company, 1934.(format: .jpg | size: 46k)

Dr. Westel Willoughby (1789-1844), a landowner and preceptor, headed up the new school. The University and the town quickly adopted Dr. Willoughby's name. Willoughby did not grow into the metropolis originally planned. Because of this, as well as friction among Willoughby Medical College faculty members, part of the faculty left to form another medical school in Cleveland in 1843. It soon became obvious that there was not room for two medical schools in northern Ohio.

In 1847, the Willoughby school moved south to form the Willoughby Medical College of Columbus. The college operated in half of the Clay Club House,West Gay Street near High Street.

Photograph of Willoughby Medical College of Columbus. Included in The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Blanchester, Ohio: The Brown Publishing Company, 1934. (format: .jpg | size: 41k)

URL: http://mhc.med.ohio-state.edu/meded/case1_1.html
Last Update: 5/2/97 by EHS