Sydney Medical School

The Faculty of Medicine was established in 1857 with the School of Medicine opening in 1860 although the building housing the school was inadequate with regards to space, equipment and facilities. Thomas Peter Anderson Stuart was appointed Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in 1883 and he set about the construction of a new Medical School. It was completed in 1889 and is now known as the Anderson Stuart Building.

In March 1997 the Faculty became one of five faculties comprising the College of Health Sciences. The other faculties forming the College were Dentistry, Health Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy. In December 1999 the Faculty agreed to implement a new school structure. In December 2000 it released a strategic framework for research and development entitled 'Capitalising on Knowledge.' Several months later it endorsed an operational plan for implementation of the strategic framework. 2001 and 2002 saw the introduction of many changes with a simplified structure in regard to committees and Boards.

The area of postgraduate studies was restructured and consolidated; the University also had introduced new rules, e.g. the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000; a Board of Postgraduate Studies in Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy was formed. In 2002 the Faculty functioned with the following schools:

1. School of Biomedical Sciences

2. School of Population Health and Health Services Research (includes Public Health and Community Medicine).  [Faculty of Medicine minutes of 31/1/2002].

The Department of Medical Education incorporated the Postgraduate Committee in Medicine. [see Faculty Minutes, Annual Report of Dean 22/11/2002]. The Victor Coppleson Institute of Postgraduate Medical Studies which had been established by Senate in 1971 and had been administered by the Postgraduate Committee in Medicine had never had an independent existence from the Postgraduate Committee. In order to recognise this and to simplify and regularise governance issues the Dean had asked that the Committee be renamed as the Coppleson Committee for Continuing Medical Education. Accordingly Senate at its meeting on 4 November 2002 had repealed existing resolutions regarding the Coppleson Institute. The Faculty at its meeting 21/11/2002 under item 22 (2) repealed its existing resolutions regarding the Postgraduate Committee in Medicine and adopted new resolutions regarding the Coppleson Committee for Continuing Medical Education.  (Senate 15.06.09: Resolution 142/09)

Senate resolved to authorise the Vice-Chancellor to agree to the Faculty of Medicine adopting the name Sydney Medical School as an operational name that was consistent with the Brand project, on the condition that it carry the University's coat of arms to ensure a University of Sydney identity. (Senate 14.12.2015: Resolution SEN_7/15.98)

As part of the University's strategic planning 2016-2020, Senate decided in December 2015 to reduce the number of faculties from 16 to six, with three additional schools reporting directly to the Provost, to come into effect 1 January 2017. The Faculty of Medicine would be abolished and be within a Faculty (yet to be named) which includes Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing and Midwifery. (Senate 12.12.2016: Resolution SEN_16/6_105).

Senate approved the creation of a new Faculty of Medicine and Health and endorsed the creation of The University of Sydney School of Medicine.​​ The new faculty was not to come into operation until 30 April 2018.