R G Kar Medical College

R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) is a public hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, which began as Asia's first private medical college. It was established in 1886 as the Calcutta School of Medicine to ensure self-sufficiency in medical education and services during the colonial era. It initially had no affiliated hospital and practiced out of Mayo Hospital, before moving into its own complex in 1902. In 1904 it merged with the National College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bengal, and was renamed Belgachia Medical College in 1916. From 1918 to 1948 it was called Carmichael Medical College, honoring Governor Thomas Gibson-Carmichael. On 12 May 1948, it was renamed R. G. Kar Medical College after Dr. Radha Gobinda Kar, who first conceived it. On 12 May 1958, the West Bengal Government assumed management of the institution. It was affiliated with the University of Calcutta from 1916 to 2003, and has since been affiliated with the West Bengal University of Health Sciences. The college is co-educational and recognized by the National Medical Commission, offering MBBS, DNB, MD, MS, DM, and MCh courses. In August 2024, a postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead on campus, sparking national outrage.