Since its founding just before the start of the Civil War, The New York Academy of Medicine has been a vital source for effective and, often, radical thought and action regarding the healthcare and public health problems that affect people in New York City and beyond.

At the time of its founding in 1847, New York City had been facing turmoil in medicine and public health on many fronts. Traditional methods of medical practice were often more traumatic than the diseases themselves; avoidable infections were taking a powerful toll on lives in the best hospitals, and one in three women were dying in childbirth. Community health conditions were appalling, with 50 percent of children dying before the age of one.

A group of eminent physicians decided that reforms were needed and established the Academy for “the advancement of the art and science of medicine, the maintenance of a public medical Library, and the promotion of public health and medical education.” These efforts would lead to the creation of the city’s first sanitation and public health departments, a system that would be replicated all over the nation. Moreover, the Academy was integral in the development of tracking births and deaths, a move that ultimately led to the creation of a Medical Examiner’s Office.

In the years to follow, the Academy would serve as the vanguard for urban health, addressing the most pressing health issues in New York City, including sanitation and the continued concerns of maternal mortality and drug policy. The organization has also been a leader on issues including school health, healthy aging, eliminating health disparities, and addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic through an equity lens. Throughout, NYAM has supported medical and health scholarship through our world-class Library and Fellows program.

This rich history of influence and action in public health has led to NYAM’s current focus on changing inequitable systems to advance heath for all. To learn more, visit our interactive timeline of NYAM’s historic milestones, as well as our Library timeline. 

NYAM Milestones

Library Timeline