Faculty of Medicine

The Jesuits envisioned a Faculty of Medicine in Beirut as early as 1872. In September 1876, Fr. Remi Normand, became Rector of the Saint Joseph University (USJ) and turned this vision into reality. On May 7, 1883, the Society of Jesus and the French government reached an agreement that allowed the School of Medicine to open later that year, on November 30. The School started in a USJ annex with 11 students, under the leadership of Chancellor Fr. Hippolyte Marcellier.

Instruction was given in French. The French consul appointed and chaired a commission that required candidates to pass written and oral exams for admission to the School of Medicine. The Medical Diploma program began with a first-year curriculum covering physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, medical natural history, osteology, articulations, myology, and elements of physiology. In the second year, students studied anatomy, physiology, and pathology. The third year included clinical practice, surgery, obstetrics, therapeutics, and hygiene. In the School’s second year, many candidates applied for admission, but only 25 were accepted after a strict selection process.

Classes began in 1883. In June 1887, Profs. Villejean and Landouzy came to Beirut to administer the final exams. Four candidates passed and became the first medical graduates of the Faculty: Joseph Gebara, Skandar Habib Ghorayeb, Dimitri Sopovitch, and John Perpignani. In 1890, young Lebanese medical students traveled to Constantinople for exams, which were offered in Turkish or French, and received free accommodation. Their knowledge of French gave them an advantage over students from the Syrian Protestant College, whose courses were taught exclusively in Arabic.

On October 6, 1888, following reports from the presidents of the exam juries, the French Minister of Public Instruction informed the Minister of Foreign Affairs that students of the Beirut School of Medicine deemed worthy would receive a Medical Doctor Diploma issued and signed by his department. The school then officially adopted the title of the French Faculty of Medicine of Beirut, and the duration of studies was extended to four years. Two years later, Egypt recognized this degree, though graduates continued traveling to Constantinople to take exams to be authorized to practice in the Ottoman Empire. In 1895, Fr. Cattin, appointed Chancellor, arranged for two official juries, one French and one Ottoman, to come to Beirut annually on the same date to conduct the exams. Successful candidates received a French State Diploma from the Minister of Public Instruction in France and an Ottoman State Diploma from the Imperial Faculty of Constantinople. Ten years after France, the Ottoman government officially recognized the Faculty’s titles and privileges, allowing it to award two state diplomas simultaneously.

In 1910, the Faculty reamined near the University, at the site of today’s Faculty of Law and Political Science, but the premises could no longer accommodate the 210 students of medicine and pharmacy. A large plot of land had been acquired on Damascus Road, where Fr. Boulomoy had spent about ten years creating a remarkable botanical garden. On this land, Fr. Mattern designed the plans for the new Faculty. On November 21, 1911, the foundation stone of the future buildings was laid during a solemn ceremony. On November 19, 1912, classes began in the new Faculty, welcoming over 300 students, with Fr. Gerard de Martimprey succeeding Fr. Cattin as Chancellor.

In October 1914, the Faculty counted 12 professors, 10 clinic heads, 305 medical students, and 50 pharmacy students. Fr. de Martimprey was mobilized, and Fr. Cattin temporarily resumed the position of Chancellor. Despite the Franco-German war declared on August 2, 1914, Fr. de Martimprey opened the Faculty for the October term. Less than 20 days later, France severed relations with Turkey, forcing the Faculty to close immediately that same afternoon. On November 23, the Jesuits were expelled, and on December 4, 1914, after prolonged and difficult delays, the professors were authorized to leave the country. Students had to interrupt their studies; some, thanks to Fr. Cattin, went to France, where they were admitted to French faculties. During the Great War, the Faculty of Beirut experienced many challenges. Its buildings were converted into a telegraph school, a police station, and were later assigned to the Medical School of Damascus.

On October 7, 1918, a French flotilla dropped anchor in the port of Beirut. As soon as Fr. de Martimprey disembarked, he visited the Faculty and began to reorganize, classify and assess the damage. It was a monumental task, but by January 17, 1919, the Faculty was largely restored. Entrance exams were held on February 4, and on March 18, George Picot, the first French High Commissioner in Lebanon, opened the doctoral session before an all-French jury. From then on, the duration of studies was set at five years, increasing to six years in 1927 and seven years in 1935.

Smooth Sailing

Professors from French faculties continued to serve at the Faculty of Beirut until December 1976, working alongside local professors to form the exams juries for medicine and pharmacy. Between 1887 to 1976, a total of 299 professors from the faculties of Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Algiers, Nancy, Marseille, Lille, Rennes, Strasbourg, and Clermont-Ferrand participated in these delegations.

By 1920, the Faculty had grown to 250 students, and its diplomas allowed graduates to practice medicine in Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan and Persia. That year, the Institute of Chemistry, the Institute of Bacteriology, and a Dental School were established. In October 1922, a School of Midwifery opened within the Maternity Department. The increasing engagement of USJ in Lebanese society was evident in its student recruitment efforts. Both the total number and the proportion of Lebanese students increased, while the number of foreign students declined significantly. Between 1883 and 1924, 534 Lebanese students enrolled in their first year of medicine; this number doubled between 1924 and 1963. Students from outside Lebanon, primarily from other regions of the Ottoman Empire and Egypt, formed the majority of first-year medical students between 1904 and 1923, comprising about 64% of the student body. However, their proportion began to decrease gradually from 1924 to 1953, reaching around 50%, and then dropped sharply thereafter.

The process of Lebanization among the teaching staff began gradually between 1920 and 1940. At the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, the first clinical chiefs were from the region as early as the late 19th century. However, it was only in 1932 that Lebanese faculty members began to hold chairs, which remained uncommon at the time. Dr. Balthasar Melconian became the first Lebanese professor to hold such a position, after serving as assistant to Prof. Negre, and later as substitute professor of anatomy, before taking the Chair of Anatomy and Operative Medicine. Dr. Philippe Thomas followed as the second Lebanese to hold a chair, that of Ophthalmology and Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.

The feminization of the teaching staff progressed slowly, gaining traction only in the 1950s. In 1925, three female students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine, followed by five more in 1931. Lebanese women remained a minority, and the number of female students stayed very limited until 1943.

Reestablishment

The Second World War did not interrupt the activities of the Faculty. However, the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) nearly led to its destruction: the campus was bombed, destroyed, plundered, and abandoned. As conflicts shifted across the capital, courses were relocated to different areas of the capital. The war increasingly complicated the secondment of French professors to USJ, leading to the discontinuation of the French State Diploma of Doctor of Medicine. This change was also directly linked to the promulgation of the statute of Saint Joseph University on June 10, 1975, the statute of the Faculty of Medicine on October 19, 1976, and the election of a Lebanese professor as dean on November 15, 1976. With the graduation of students admitted in November 1976 and those who graduated in the sessions of 1983 and 1984, the issuance of French State Diplomas of Doctor of Medicine at the Faculty of Beirut ended. In total, these diplomas had been awarded to 2,891 doctors. The French Faculty of Medicine became the Faculty of Medicine of USJ, a Francophone university under Lebanese law. Consequently, the French State Diploma of Doctor of Medicine was replaced after a few years by the Medical Doctor (MD) degree.

At the same time, the administration of the Faculty, previously led by a “Chancellor” who was a religious member of the Society of Jesus, was transferred to a lay “Dean,” who is a member of the Faculty elected by their peers. The Rector of USJ often played a significant role in this election process, sometimes holding a decisive voice. The deans who have since served are Professors Nagib Taleb, Josette Naffah, Antoine Ghossain, Pierre Farah, Fernand Dagher, Roland Tomb, and Elie Nemer.

The Faculty Board, once composed of both French and Lebanese members and previously convened in France, became exclusively Lebanese, meeting regularly at the Faculty. Its role has gradually evolved to support the Dean more directly. Another crucial task was the modernization of the Faculty's programs, which required substantial updates.

The Postdoctoral Education Committee, founded by Dean Antoine Ghossain, sought to create specialization programs in medical and surgical disciplines to prevent young graduates from spending long years abroad. Although this goal took several years to achieve, it eventually allowed residents to complete their training in Lebanon, primarily within the geographically-oriented departments of Hôtel-Dieu de France (HDF), as well as in other approved hospitals. Ultimately, the Faculty issued a Specialist Diploma recognized by the Lebanese authorities. Trainings abroad thus became much shorter and focused on the acquisition of specialized skills.

Between 1981 and 1982, intermittent bombings made access to the Faculty’s premises increasingly difficult. Yet, maintaining academic continuity remained essential. Under Dean Taleb’s leadership, alternative premises were arranged in secondary schools in Hazmieh and at the Lazarist Fathers’ premises in Achrafieh. Instructors and showed remarkable courage, attending classes despite constant danger. During Professor Ghossain’s tenure, the Faculty faced even greater instability, moving continuously and becoming nearly inaccessible to students, instructors, and administrative staff. In response, HDF, being less exposed, served as a substitute campus, with classes also held at la Sagesse University, and sometimes at The Sisters’ Congregation of the Holy Hearts in Sioufi. All logistical difficulties were overcome through the unwavering determination of Fr. Jean Ducruet, Rector of USJ, and the University Board, ensuring the continuity of education across all sectors, especially in medicine. As a result, no academic year was lost.

During the 16 years of war, the Faculty endured the outbursts of violence that shook Lebanon. While awaiting peace, it faced numerous challenges, accepting all risks to adapt, innovate, and persevere. Through this determination, a period of waiting became one of renewal and creation. The Faculty successfully recovered and restored its premises, allowing students to return to campus for the start of the academic year in October 1991.

As soon as activities resumed, the Faculty had to recover lost time and adapt its structures and programs to meet the current demands of medical education. Innovative initiatives were launched, including new teaching methods, the promotion of research, the creation of research laboratories. The Faculty continued to develop existing specialties, created the Family Medicine Center in collaboration with the Université de Montréal in 1995, and advanced community medicine. It also introduced several university diplomas, and placed great emphasis on humanities such as ethics and sociology, lifelong learning, and international outreach. 

The Faculty Today

In 2025, the Faculty of Medicine includes 249 instructors and 938 students (excluding students from affiliated institutions), among them 163 interns and 256 residents. In addition to HDF, the University Medical Center, the Faculty is affiliated by convention with Saint-Joseph University Hospital, and several hospitals (Saint-Charles, Monseigneur Cortbawi, the French Hospital of the Levant, the Eye and Ear Hospital International, the Beirut Eye and ENT Specialist Hospital, the Central Military Hospital, the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Notre-Dame of Bhannes Hospital (CHB), and Serhal Hospital) as well as Saint-Antoine Health Center.

Furthermore, six institutions are affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine: The School of Midwifery, the Institute of Physiotherapy, the Institute of Psychomotor Therapy, the Higher Institute of Speech and Language Therapy, and, since 2017, the Higher Institute of Public Health, and the Institute of Occupational Therapy.

From its first foundation in 1883, the Faculty of Medicine has expanded and transformed through a series of visionary foundations, each reinforcing its commitment to excellence and innovation. In 1912, Father Cattin, constrained by the initial premises, decided to build a new Faculty of Medicine on the Damascus Road in 1912, marking the second foundation. Fr. Cattin completed his vision by building HDF, which remains the largest hospital in Lebanon today. Despite the challenges of the First World War, and the devastation of the Lebanese Civil War, the French Faculty of Medicine demonstrated resilience. Through the tireless efforts of Fr. Ducruet, it underwent a process of Lebanization, firmly establishing itself within the new Saint Joseph University and being rebuilt with the same stones, symbolizing, in many ways, the third foundation. In the early 21st century, part of the Faculty of Medicine was relocated to the Innovation and Sports Campus, which now houses a center for genetics, numerous research laboratories and three affiliated institutes.

As early as 2016, plans for a fourth foundation were set in motion. By the start of the 2020 academic year, the Simulation Center gradually opened its doors. Overlooking a multi-story parking garage, it transformed the historic campus by eliminating vehicle access and dedicating the space solely to pedestrians, students, and instructors. Starting September 2024, the Center evolved into a high-tech hub, featuring a virtual hospital that further enhanced the Faculty’s innovative educational offerings. At the southwest end of the campus, a new Faculty of Medicine has emerged on the Damascus Road, continuing Fr. Cattin’s legacy. The modern, two-part structure integrates seamlessly into its surroundings, emphasizing transparency and harmony with the botanical garden. Its futuristic design unites all previously scattered departments into a cohesive space, featuring various work areas, new lecture halls, adaptable classrooms, a high-tech library, and upgraded IT platforms. These construction projects accompany numerous academic initiatives, the establishment of new research laboratories, expanded partnerships with leading universities in France and the Francophone world, and international accreditations for research and simulation centers. Ultimately, these efforts embody a culture of excellence that would have made the pioneers of the previous two centuries proud.

Established in
01/01/1883

Dean
Dr Elie NEMER

Website
https://www.usj.edu.lb/fm/

Address
Medical Sciences Campus
Damascus Road
PO BOX 11-5076 – Riad el Solh
Beirut 11072180

Telephone : +961 (1) 421 235
Fax : +961 (1) 421 023
Email : fm@usj.edu.lb

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Program (Details In French) 2025 - 2026