Historical Development of the College of Medicine
The establishment and development of MacKay Medical College (MMC) are deeply rooted in the century-long tradition of medical and educational ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. The MMC inherits and upholds the missionary spirit and humanistic ideals of Canadian missionary George Leslie MacKay (Dr. George Leslie MacKay), particularly his dedication to medical mission and compassionate care.
I. Historical Origins and Founding Background
In the late 19th century, Dr. MacKay arrived in Taiwan in 1871 and began expanding medical and educational work. During the 1860s–70s, he established Western-style medical institutions and educational facilities in Tamsui and Taipei, marking the emergence of modern medical education in Taiwan. This tradition was subsequently continued by MacKay Memorial Hospital, which has long been devoted to medical services and public welfare in Taiwanese society.
In response to the urgent need to cultivate healthcare professionals embodying the MacKay spirit and values, planning for the establishment of MMC began in the early 21st century. The goal was to integrate modern medical education with Christian love and compassion, nurturing medical professionals equipped with holistic care perspectives and global vision.
II. Preparatory Phase and Establishment (1995–2009)
Preparations for MMC can be traced back to 1995, when a preparatory committee for the medical college was formed to develop academic plans and initiate the application process. In 1997, an official application was submitted to the Ministry of Education. In 1999, a preparatory office was established at Tamsui MacKay Memorial Hospital to actively integrate academic, clinical, and administrative resources.
After years of preparation and governmental review, the Ministry of Education granted official approval for establishment on March 30, 2009. The MMC became the 12th medical education institution in Taiwan and an important emerging force in the field. In July of the same year, the Department of Medicine, MMC, enrolled its first cohort of 40 medical students, and in September held its inaugural ceremony, marking the formal launch of its educational mission.
III. Expansion of Departments and Academic Development (2009–2025)
In 2011, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, further expanding the MMC’s research capacity and graduate-level education. The College admitted its first graduate students in September 2012. Owing to stable enrollment and outstanding educational performance, approval was granted in 2019 to recruit doctoral students.
In response to societal changes and diseases associated with population aging, the College positioned its distinctive development around “Aging,” “Regeneration,” and “Holistic Medicine.” Despite challenges posed by declining birth rates, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of the Department of Optometry in 2022 and the Department of Medical Laboratory and Regenerative Medicine in 2023, recognizing the College’s sustained academic achievements.
To facilitate early integration of undergraduate students with research potential into graduate studies, the College implemented a “Pre-Graduate Student Program,” enabling qualified students to directly pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in Biomedical Sciences. In 2025, the Department of Medicine was also approved to establish a Graduate Institute in Clinical Medicine, providing physicians with a pathway toward becoming physician-scientists. At this stage, the College has expanded to encompass three departments and two graduate institutes.
IV. Organizational Development and Institutional Recognition (2025–Present)
Since its founding, the Department of Medicine has maintained close integration with MacKay Memorial Hospital in clinical clerkship and internship training, strengthening holistic medical philosophy and practical competencies. Students have consistently achieved excellent results in national professional licensing examinations, and graduates have earned widespread professional and societal recognition for exemplifying the MacKay spirit. Nine years after its establishment, the Department of Medicine received its first accreditation from the Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council (TMAC) in 2018, and successfully passed reaccreditation in 2022, aligning its educational quality with international standards. The Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences also passed accreditation by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council in 2016 and 2020.
In recent years, MMC has continued to deepen its commitment to medical education and research, expanding collaboration with domestic and international higher education and healthcare institutions. Emphasis has been placed on interdisciplinary and internationalized curricula and training models. With growing academic scale and research investment, the College has gradually established its distinctive identity within Taiwan’s medical education landscape.
In 2025, official approval was granted to expand from the original “MacKay Medical College” framework into the broader structure of “MacKay Medical University.” As the core college within the University, the College of Medicine—now comprising three departments and two graduate institutes—continues to advance as the hallmark of the University’s commitment to holistic healthcare and distinctive medical education.
