View of Health Sciences building

Interior of Health Sciences lecture hall

Health Sciences Building-Wiggins Road entrance.

Fall scenic of studnet walking by Health Sciences Building-Wiggins Road entrance.

Fall scenic of Health Sciences Building-Wiggins Road entrance.

Fall scenic of Health Sciences Building-Wiggins Road entrance.

Summer scenic of Health Sciences Building-Wiggins Road entrance.

View of the Health Sciences Building

Front steps

View looking southwest of Medical College, with road and trees in foreground.

View of the Medical College with Observatory in foreground.

Cornerstone being laid for the Health Sciences building by T.C. Douglas, Premier of Saskatchewan.

Bio/Historical Note: The oldest wing of the Health Sciences Building, the A Wing, dating to 1949, was originally the Medical College Building. The A Wing has heritage value as the cornerstone of the medical precinct at the university and was designed by architects Webster and Gilbert. The A Wing was renovated and reopened in 2019.

Students working in the Pathology Lab in the Health Sciences Building.

Students walking on walkway and standing and sitting on the grass; Health Sciences Building in background.

Laying the cornerstone of the Medical College. Attendees (l to r): J.S. Thomson, University President; Judge H.Y. Macdonald, chairman, Board of Governors; Angus MacPherson, mayor of Saskatoon; F.H. Portnall, assistant architect, Regina; Dr. W.S. Lindsay, Dean of Medicine; Hon. T.C. Douglas, Premier of Saskatchewan; and Mr. Justice Donald MacLean, University Chancellor.

Bio/Historical Note: A medical college was part of President Walter Murray’s design for the new University of Saskatchewan, and was consistent with his view that the university should serve the needs of the province. In 1926 a School of Medical Sciences was established, which provided the first two years of medical training. Between 1928 and 1954, 605 students completed the course and then went elsewhere in Canada for the clinical years. In 1944, a survey of the health needs of the province (Sigerist Report) recommended that the School be expanded to a “complete Grade A Medical School” and that a University Hospital of 500 beds be constructed for scientific teaching, clinical instruction, and research. A medical building was completed in 1950, a four-year degree-granting College was inaugurated in 1953, and University Hospital opened in 1955. The College admits sixty medical students per year, supervises the training of 200 residents, and provides basic science training to 330 students in Arts/Science. The aim of the program is to produce a “basic” or undifferentiated doctor capable, with further training, of becoming a family practitioner, specialist or research scientist. Between 1953 and 2003, the College of Medicine has graduated 2,134 MDs, of whom 30.5% were women.