Discover LSU Health Science Center's Surprising History
LSU Health Science Center facts and history
The LSU Health Sciences Center is Louisiana's flagship academic health system, with roots in New Orleans reaching back to 1931 and a Shreveport campus whose history extends to 1876; together, these institutions grew into major centers for medical education, patient care, and research across the state. LSU Health New Orleans now includes six schools and reports nearly 3,000 students, while LSU Health Shreveport has expanded into a broad health sciences campus with multiple academic programs, clinics, and research activity.
Origins and evolution
The New Orleans campus began in 1931 as LSU Medical Center, when the School of Medicine was founded under Governor Huey P. Long, Jr., and later expanded into a full academic health sciences center. Over the decades, the campus added the School of Graduate Studies in 1965, Dentistry in 1966, Nursing in 1968, Allied Health Professions in 1970, and Public Health in 2003, reflecting a steady move from a single medical school to a multi-school training ecosystem.
The Shreveport campus traces its earliest institutional lineage to the Shreveport Charity Hospital established in 1876, long before the modern university structure took shape. LSU Health Shreveport later emerged as a distinct academic presence, and the Health Sciences Center framework helped formalize its role in training physicians, supporting regional patient care, and advancing biomedical research in North Louisiana.
Major historical milestones
The history of the health system is best understood as a series of expansions, each adding academic depth and community reach. In 1999, the LSU campus in New Orleans transitioned to LSU Health Sciences Center, unifying six schools under one identity and strengthening its role as a comprehensive academic medical institution. In 2004, LSU Health Shreveport's School of Health Professions was approved as a unit separate from New Orleans, marking an important institutional distinction between the campuses.
More recent developments show how the academic mission continues to evolve. LSU Health New Orleans reports the opening of University Medical Center New Orleans in 2015 as a modern academic medical center supporting education and bioscience research, and the school system has continued to add new programs, including a 2020 PhD in Rehabilitation Science and a 2024 Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Technology at Shreveport.
Core facts at a glance
| Category | LSU Health New Orleans | LSU Health Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Founding roots | 1931 | 1876 institutional roots; modern university-era growth later |
| Schools | 6 schools | Multiple health professions and medicine programs |
| Student body | Nearly 3,000 students | Program-specific enrollment varies by school |
| Research profile | More than $450 million in research funding over ten years | Active clinical and biomedical research enterprise |
| Clinical reach | Over 1,000,000 patient visits annually by medical faculty | Major regional hospital and clinic presence |
| Distinctive strengths | Only public School of Public Health in Louisiana | Longstanding North Louisiana clinical and teaching footprint |
Why it matters
The public health role of LSU Health is significant because the system educates a large share of Louisiana's health workforce while also serving as a major provider of care and research. LSU Health New Orleans states that it educates the majority of Louisiana's health care professionals, and its faculty support hospitals and clinics across New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette, giving the institution statewide influence far beyond its main campus.
The research engine is equally important. LSU Health New Orleans reports more than $450 million in research funding over the past decade, a figure that signals sustained external confidence in its laboratories, faculty expertise, and clinical trials infrastructure. That research base supports work in medicine, dentistry, nursing, public health, and allied health, creating a pipeline from discovery to bedside care.
"LSU Health New Orleans is Louisiana's flagship and most comprehensive academic health sciences center," the university states in its fast facts overview.
Campus structure
The New Orleans campus is organized around multiple professional schools, including Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Allied Health Professions, Graduate Studies, and Public Health. This structure allows students to train in a collaborative environment where interprofessional education is part of the institution's identity rather than an add-on.
The Shreveport campus is also deeply programmatic, with health professions education, clinics, and residency pathways that support both training and community service. Its School of Health Professions and Sciences now includes ten academic programs, three post-professional residency programs for physical therapists, a doctoral internship in health service psychology, and specialized clinics such as the Children's Center, the Mollie E. Webb Speech and Hearing Center, and the Rehabilitation Clinic.
Notable facts
- 1931: LSU's School of Medicine opens in New Orleans, establishing the modern academic foundation.
- 1965 to 1970: Graduate Studies, Dentistry, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions are added in sequence.
- 1999: LSU Medical Center transitions into LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
- 2003: Louisiana's School of Public Health is established as a separate entity.
- 2004: LSU Health Shreveport's School of Health Professions becomes distinct from New Orleans.
- 2015: University Medical Center New Orleans opens, reinforcing the academic medical mission.
- 2025: Shreveport's School of Allied Health Professions is renamed the School of Health Professions and Sciences.
Timeline
- 1876: Shreveport Charity Hospital is established, creating an early healthcare foundation in North Louisiana.
- 1931: LSU School of Medicine is founded in New Orleans.
- 1965 to 1970: LSU adds graduate, dentistry, nursing, and allied health programs.
- 1999: The New Orleans campus adopts the LSU Health Sciences Center identity.
- 2003: LSU School of Public Health begins operating as its own entity.
- 2015: University Medical Center New Orleans opens.
- 2020 to 2025: New degrees, clinics, and a renamed Shreveport school reflect ongoing expansion.
Institutional impact
The statewide impact of LSU Health is visible in workforce development, clinical service, and public health leadership. Its graduates populate hospitals, clinics, academic departments, and community health systems across Louisiana, while faculty care for patients and conduct research that informs treatment practices and health policy.
The community mission also stands out in the range of services offered. LSU Health New Orleans faculty staff hospitals and clinics in multiple cities, while the Shreveport campus supports specialized clinics and advanced training programs that address local needs in rehabilitation, communication disorders, and related health fields.
Frequently asked questions
Source-driven take
The strongest way to understand the LSU Health story is to see it as a century-spanning buildout of academic medicine in Louisiana, one that began with a single medical school and grew into a network of schools, hospitals, and research programs. Its history shows persistent expansion, while its present-day scale shows why it remains one of the state's most consequential public institutions.
What are the most common questions about Discover Lsu Health Science Centers Surprising History?
When was LSU Health Sciences Center founded?
LSU Health New Orleans traces its modern founding to 1931, when LSU's School of Medicine opened in New Orleans; LSU Health Shreveport's roots go back to 1876 through the Shreveport Charity Hospital history.
How many schools does LSU Health New Orleans have?
LSU Health New Orleans comprises six schools: Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Allied Health Professions, Graduate Studies, and Public Health.
Is LSU Health Shreveport the same as LSU Health New Orleans?
No. They are related parts of the LSU health enterprise, but they developed as distinct campuses with separate histories, programs, and regional missions.
What is LSU Health known for?
LSU Health is known for training a major share of Louisiana's healthcare workforce, operating major clinical sites, and producing significant research across medicine and allied health fields.
What makes LSU Health important to Louisiana?
Its importance comes from its combination of education, patient care, and research, plus its statewide reach through hospitals, clinics, residency programs, and public health training.