History

Like most medical schools in the country, a Department of Family Medicine was essentially non-existent at Indiana University until February 1970. At that time a committee was appointed to study the feasibility of a Family Practice Program. In January 1971, A. Alan Fischer, M.D., a nationally-known family physician, was appointed director of the Family Medicine Residency Program and was assigned the task of developing the School of Medicine’s first Residency.

In May 1974, the Department of Family Medicine was established and Dr. Fischer was named chairman. During his 14 years as chairman he helped to develop programs taught by family physicians during the first two years of medical school, recruited hundreds of family physician preceptors to teach the fourth-year elective, and hired five family physicians to serve as a base for primary care. 

In 1989, Deborah I. Allen, M.D., succeeded Dr. Fisher as chair of the Department. Dr. Allen was the first woman chair of any department at the I.U. School of Medicine. Dr. Allen remained chair of the Department for the next ten years. During her tenure, she 

• recruited a cadre of fellowship trained faculty 
• developed and implemented the third-year requirement in Family Medicine for all junior students 
• developed a Junior-year lecture series entitled "Current Issues in Medicine," introducing subjects not previously taught in the curriculum 
• developed faculty participation in medical school leadership 
• moved the Family Practice offices into the new ambulatory care building located adjacent to University Hospital 
• conceived and developed the Otis R. Bowen Research Center 
• assisted with the successful consolidation of the Indiana University Residency Program and the Methodist Hospital Residency Program. 

Perhaps the Department's greatest accomplishment and point of pride is the fact that since the inception of its required Family Medicine Clerkship, approximately 25% of all IUSM graduates select Family Medicine as their career choice. 

In September 1995, the Indiana University Family Practice Residency Program merged with the Methodist Hospital Family Practice Residency Program combining faculty from Indiana University and Methodist Hospitals. 

The most visible symbol of commitment for support of the Department of Family Medicine since the consolidation has been the building of a state-of-the-art Family Practice Center located on the Methodist Hospital campus. The new Family Practice Center has integrated community physicians with academic faculty and has combined the advantages of a large private hospital with an academic center environment.