Contributions of Thomas Jefferson to American medicine

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, had a consuming interest in all fields of education and science, including the practice of medicine and public health. He actively developed medical education, supported measures for public health, and encouraged scientific research supported by the government without policy intervention. Although a close friend of eminent physicians, his rationalism and scientific method placed him ahead of many practitioners of his time. He disparaged medical quackery but actively supported therapies such as vaccination that were based on research and careful observation. The School of Medicine at the University of Virginia was Jefferson's concrete contribution to the advancement of medical education in the United States and epitomized his preoccupation with medicine and science as important cornerstones of a healthy American nation.