The Story Behind the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Logo
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Einstein), located in the Bronx, New York City, stands as one of the nation’s top institutions for medical education, basic research, and clinical investigation. Home to roughly 2,000 faculty members, 750 M.D. students, 350 Ph.D. students, and 380 postdoctoral scholars, Einstein has grown significantly since its founding in 1953. The college has expanded into translational research, bioinformatics, diabetes, public health, women’s health, bioethics, and cancer.
The Genesis of Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Planning for the college was initiated in 1945 by Yeshiva University President Samuel Belkin. Physicist Albert Einstein lent his name to the institution, noting that it would welcome students of all backgrounds. In 1951, Einstein lauded the planned school, writing that it was of the greatest importance to American Jewry and would welcome students of all creeds and races.
Initially reluctant to associate his name with the school, Einstein suggested naming it after the Jewish physician Maimonides. However, on March 14, 1953, at an event marking his 74th birthday, Einstein agreed to lend his name to the medical school. At this gathering, his only public appearance in 22 years at the Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein told The New York Times that physics had favored medicine by giving civilized man confidence in the scientific method.
Early Milestones and Expansion
The Sue Golding Graduate Division was established in 1957 to offer Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in biomedical science. In 1960, the first successful coronary artery bypass surgery was performed at Einstein by a team led by Robert H. Goetz.
In 1966, the school completed a 375-bed private teaching hospital, now known as the Jack D. Weiler Hospital. The Ullmann Research Center for Health Sciences, a 12-story facility, opened in 1964. In 1965, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation donated $1.45 million to Einstein to establish a center to study human development and mental disabilities, named for Rose F. Kennedy, which opened in 1970 with 200 staff scientists.
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Evolution of the College
In 1990, following cumulative $8.5 million donations by Bronx businessman Jack Resnick, Einstein's campus was designated as the Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus. In 1996, Einstein built a 10-story research complex, the Samuel H. and Rachel Golding Building. The three-story Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center opened in 2002.
Affiliations and Independence
Einstein first became affiliated with Montefiore in 1963, with Montefiore attending physicians serving as Einstein faculty. By 1969, financial troubles led Yeshiva University to contract its Jack D. Weiler Hospital operations to Montefiore. In 2015, Yeshiva University's financial difficulties led the university to transfer ownership of the medical school to Montefiore. Although the deal's details were largely kept private, Einstein became a new entity with 51 percent ownership by Montefiore and 49 percent by Yeshiva. Montefiore assumed all operational and financial responsibilities. Yeshiva continued to grant Einstein's degrees until 2019, when the medical school achieved independent degree-granting authority.
A Transformative Gift
In 2024, Ruth Gottesman, EdD, Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees, donated $1 billion to the school to make tuition free for all students in perpetuity. The contribution also stipulated that the college never change its name. This transformational gift is intended to attract a talented pool of individuals who may not otherwise have the means to pursue a medical education. It will enable generations of healthcare leaders who will advance the boundaries of research and care, free from the burden of crushing loan indebtedness. With this donation, all current fourth-year students will be reimbursed their spring 2024 semester tuition, and effective beginning in August of this year, all students moving forward will receive free tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Academic Programs and Achievements
Einstein comprises 30 academic departments, spanning clinical care and both basic and translational research. The college's chief academic officer is the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean. Admission to Einstein's MD program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 1.85% in 2024. All students are awarded the full-tuition Gottesman Scholarship.
The first 16 months of the MD program, the preclerkship phase, consists of fundamental scientific and medical coursework. Multi-semester courses include bioethics and service learning. This is followed by a 12-month clinical phase that includes clerkships and preparation for and completion of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1. Clerkships are followed by completion of the USMLE Step 2 exam.
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In addition to Jacobi and Montefiore hospitals, medical students can train in medical facilities such as the VA Bronx Healthcare System and Bronx Psychiatric Center. Students may also volunteer at the Einstein Community Health Outreach (ECHO) Free Clinic, which provides care to those without health insurance.
To provide a deeper scientific foundation for MD students, Einstein hosts the five-year Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP). The CRTP confers a Master of Science and requires an additional year of courses on clinical research methods. With Yeshiva's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Einstein offers both a certificate and Master of Science in Bioethics. Einstein also offers MD students a joint Master of Public Health degree with the City University of New York (CUNY).
Faculty and Alumni
Three Einstein faculty members have been awarded the National Medal of Science, the highest science award in the United States. As of 2025, Einstein has over 2,000 faculty members, yielding a faculty-student ratio of 2.6:1. Faculty members that have taught or are currently teaching at Einstein include 18 members of the National Academy of Sciences and five members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Alumni of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine include seven elected members of the National Academy of Sciences, two Howard Hughes Medical Investigators, and five American Academy of Arts and Sciences members. Scientific achievements by alumni include the co-discovery of the hepatitis C virus by George Kuo and the hormone leptin by Rudolph Leibel.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein College of Medicine has made significant contributions to medical advances, including the first coronary artery bypass surgery. The college houses several NIH-designated centers and supports a broad array of shared scientific facilities and cores designed to advance the research efforts of Einstein investigators.
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The college's commitment to welcoming students of all ethnicities, religions, and genders has been a hallmark since its founding. This mission has been further solidified by Ruth Gottesman's historic gift, ensuring that financial restrictions are removed for those without the economic means to afford medical school.
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