Strong Memorial Hospital Marks 100 Years as a Cornerstone of Academic Medicine
Strong Memorial Hospital this week marks the 100th anniversary of its opening, recognizing a century of patient care grounded in research, education, and clinical excellence as a founding institution of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC).
Strong Memorial Hospital officially opened on Jan. 4, 1926. Its centennial is the third major anniversary observed across URMC, following the 100th anniversaries of the School of Nursing on Sept. 15, 2025, and the School of Medicine & Dentistry on Sept. 17, 2025—dates marking the start of the first classes at both schools in 1925. Together, the School of Nursing, School of Medicine & Dentistry, and Strong Memorial form an integrated academic medical center that has shaped healthcare in the Rochester region for a century.
In a message to faculty and staff marking the anniversary, CEO of Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals Kathy Parrinello emphasized the hospital’s founding vision and the people who have carried it forward. "Strong Memorial Hospital opened its doors 100 years ago today, turning our founders’ belief—that discovery and learning could transform patient care—into reality,” Parrinello wrote. “Today, we carry that vision forward every time we work together to advance health and enrich the lives of our patients and communities.”
Parrinello also underscored the role of staff across generations in shaping the hospital’s legacy. “Medicine, technology, and models of care have changed dramatically, but one thing has never changed: our people have always been the heart of Strong,” she said.
The centennial also reflects the broader vision that led to the creation of URMC. In a message marking the School of Medicine & Dentistry’s centennial in September, URMC CEO and Dean David C. Linehan, MD, pointed to the lasting impact of that original idea. “One hundred years ago, a group of innovators realized a vision to combine healthcare, biomedical research, and learning within one institution,” Linehan wrote. “You and I are the legacy of their ambitious new approach.”
Earlier in September, School of Nursing Dean Lisa Kitko marked the School of Nursing’s centennial with a message reflecting on the profession’s evolution and the School’s role in advancing nursing education, research, and practice.
Early Milestones
Jan. 5, 1926: First patient admitted
Jan. 7, 1926: First surgery performed by Dr. John J. Morton (resection of a mixed tumor of the parotid)
Jan. 13, 1926: First prescription filled
Jan. 14, 1926: First baby born
Jan. 25, 1926: First pediatric patient treated
Feb. 15, 1926: Outpatient department opens; six patients seen on the first day
April 25, 1926: First emergency division patient treated
Sept. 3, 1926: First ambulance received, donated by Rose Lattimore Alling
Strong Memorial Hospital was founded on that then-novel principle: that patient care is strongest when closely connected to discovery and learning. That idea guided the hospital from its earliest days and continues to define its role within URMC today.
By the close of its first full fiscal year on June 30, 1927, Strong Memorial Hospital was already operating at significant scale, with 250 beds, more than 3,400 patients treated, over 2,000 surgeries performed, 122 births, and an average daily census of 105 patients—early indicators of the hospital’s central role in the region’s healthcare system.
Over the past 100 years, Strong Memorial Hospital has evolved alongside the School of Medicine & Dentistry and the School of Nursing—training generations of clinicians and researchers, advancing medical knowledge, and delivering high-quality care to patients across the region and beyond.
As Strong enters its second century, URMC remains focused on advancing care, expanding discovery, educating the healthcare workforce of the future, and improving health outcomes for the communities it serves.
Leadership Centennial Messages—Full Text
Message from Kathy Parrinello, CEO of Strong Memorial Hospital, to URMC faculty and staff on Jan. 4, 2026
Dear SMH Community, Strong Memorial Hospital opened its doors 100 years ago today, turning our founders’ belief — that discovery and learning could transform patient care — into reality. Today, we carry that vision forward every time we work together to advance health and enrich the lives of our patients and communities. For a century, people have come through our doors in their moments of need. Over those years, medicine, technology, and models of care have changed dramatically, and our hospital has grown with them. But one thing has never changed: Our people have always been the heart of Strong. To every member of our incredible staff, thank you. You’ve turned purpose into progress and innovation into healing, and you have made an unrelenting focus on patients the foundation of everything we do. Your dedication and teamwork, especially in challenging times, are why Strong is a place where compassion and innovation work hand in hand. As we honor the generations who built our legacy, we also look ahead to what’s next: New discoveries, new ways to heal, and new opportunities to make a difference. With your talent, care, and commitment, our next 100 years will be even more extraordinary. Thank you for being part of this journey, for all you’ve given, all you continue to do, and all we’ll achieve together in the years ahead. |
Dear SMD community,
One hundred years ago, a group of innovators realized a vision to combine healthcare, biomedical research, and learning within one institution. You and I are the legacy of their ambitious new approach.
Today we celebrate the centennial of the School of Medicine & Dentistry’s opening—a chance to recognize our history of discovery, innovation, and expert patient care. Look for upcoming events to honor this milestone, including Meliora Weekend activities and a special Miner Library exhibit.
This is a great time to glance back but, more importantly, to look forward. The work done here over the decades has created great momentum for us to excel at all of our missions in the years to come. You’ll be hearing me talk more about our vision that will guide us to be the best place to innovate, work, learn, and heal.
The drive to become a thriving, internationally renowned academic medical center starts with each one of us embracing the part we play and continuing to follow our motto, ever better. I’m humbled to be a part of such an accomplished institution at this important moment in its history. And I’m optimistic about where we’re headed, together, as a team with a common purpose.
One of the great things about working here is never having to wonder why we do what we do. We know the critical role we play in individual lives and in the future of cures that matter for everyone. We are all caregivers, and we all play our necessary role.
Feel free to share how your role supports our vision, and thank you for all you’re doing to prepare us for a successful next century.