Newprospectus 2022-23. cdr

1.3 INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITIES
The Christian Medical College, Vellore, occupies a 
unique place among medical institutions in India (and 
in the world) as a vital, diverse and inter- 
denominational community. The College has 
demonstrated that it is possible to be commi ed to 
quality primary care while encouraging the 
development of excellent tertiary health care services. 
This approach is possible in the context of a holistic 
understanding of health and healing.

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Prospectus 2022-2023
1.4 HISTORY
The Christian Medical College, Vellore and the 
associated teaching hospitals were founded by Dr Ida 
Sophia Scudder, the daughter of a medical missionary. 
She was born in 1870 to a missionary couple working 
in Tindivanam, sixty miles south of Chennai and later 
went back to America to complete her education. In 
1890, she returned to India to a end to her ailing 
mother. On a single night during that visit, Ida was 
approached by three men seeking her help for their 
young wives in labour. As she could not offer help, and 
as local customs did not permit a male doctor to a end 
to them, young Ida was moved by the death of these 
three young Indian women during childbirth. She saw 
the suffering of women in India and realized the need 
in India for women doctors to a end to women whose 
traditions did not permit them to be treated by men.
She went to the United States of America and obtained 
medical training, specializing in Obstetrics and 
Gynaecology. In 1900, she started her work with one 
room for inpatients in her father's bungalow. Patients 
came in increasing numbers and the need for be er 
facilities became obvious. She set about winning 
support for her cause and in 1902 the Mary Taber 
Schell Memorial Hospital was built to accommodate 
40 patients. In 1924, the present town campus was 
acquired and a 267 bed hospital was built.

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Christian Medical College, Vellore
The Christian Medical College, Vellore, now offers 
Medical graduate, postgraduate (diploma and 
degree), and higher specialty courses, graduate and 
post graduate courses in Nursing, and several degree 
and diploma Allied Health Science courses as well as 
courses in Bioengineering.
Today there are over 2800 beds for in-patients and 
over 8000 outpatients are treated daily in the main 
hospital and in peripheral units.
The Christian Medical College, Vellore expanded its 
services to the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh 
at Chi oor, providing out patient, inpatient and 
diagnostic services. There are at present 120 beds for 
inpatients and over 600 outpatients treated daily.