The only history of UNMC was published in 1980, as the third volume of the “Centennial Trilogy of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine.” The complete trilogy is available online through the McGoogan Library’s catalog.
Although the volume was published nearly 35 years ago, it is still the definitive history of UNMC.
The first volume of the trilogy is the memoir of a pioneer physician who started his practice in northeast Nebraska in 1882, “A Prairie Doctor of the Eighties,” by Francis Long, M.D. (1859-1938). The second is a 50th anniversary history of the College of Medicine, “Golden Anniversary,” by longtime anatomy professor Edward Holyoke, M.D., Ph.D. (1908-2001). The centennial history, “The First Hundred Years of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine” (click here for a PDF of the book), was compiled by members of the Centennial History Committee.
The project director for this monumental work was 1957 alumnus and longtime faculty member Frank Menolascino, M.D. (1930-1992). The author of the original manuscript was former UNMC staff member Robert Coleman, M.S. The editor for the revision of the text and production of the history book was Reba Benschoter, Ph.D., head of the former biomedical communications department at UNMC. Rose Reynolds (1906-1995), a medical illustrator who was on the staff of UNMC for many years, served as editor for selection and identification of historical photos and other illustrations used in the work.
Historical documentation and preparation of the bibliography was provided by Bernice Hetzner, M.A. (1909-1998), longtime library director. As an emeritus professor in the late 1970s, Hetzner started what is now the archives and history of medicine section in the library. The historical continuity of the book was overseen by Dr. Holyoke, a 1934 alumnus and longtime anatomy professor.
Other committee members who contributed to the campus history were: Alastair Connell, M.D., College of Medicine dean from 1978 to 1984); Walter J. Friedlander, M.D. (1919-2009), professor of neurology who also served as professor of medical humanities and jurisprudence; nursing faculty member and administrator Lorraine Hedman, (1921-2010); longtime professor John Latta, Ph.D. (1895-1989), who had joined the anatomy faculty in 1921; Omaha obstetrician and 1925 alumnus Harley Anderson, M.D. (1900-1982); and Richard Wilson, M.D. (1921-2002), professor of pathology and a 1945 alumnus.
For more information on the history of UNMC, contact the Special Collections Department at the McGoogan Library of Medicine.