Originally named the
Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania when it was first founded in 1848, it became the 16th state medical society in the
United States. Others included
New Jersey, 1766;
Massachusetts, 1780; South Carolina, 1789; Delaware, 1789; Connecticut, 1792; Maryland, 1798; Georgia, 1804; New York, 1807;
Rhode Island, 1812;
Vermont, 1813; Michigan, 1819; Virginia, 1821;
Tennessee, 1830; Wisconsin, 1841; and Alabama, 1846. It was not until 1847 that these organizations formed the
American Medical Association. Prior to the founding of The Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania, the Keystone State had few county or district medical societies. Those in existence were the
College of Physicians, 1787;
Philadelphia County Medical Society, 1796; Warren County Medical Society, 1821; Medical Faculty of
Berks County, 1824;
Franklin County Medical Society, 1825;
Chester County Medical Society, 1828;
Susquehanna County Medical Society, 1838;
Mercer County Medical Society, 1843;
Lancaster City and
County Medical Society, 1844;
Schuylkill County Medical Society, 1845; Northern Medical Association of Philadelphia, 1847;
Lebanon County Medical Society, 1847;
Mifflin County Medical Society, 1847; and the Medical Faculty of
Montgomery County, 1847. The Pennsylvania Medical Society was organized on April 11, 1848, at the
Methodist Episcopal Church in
Lancaster. Today, at this location is an historical marker that reads:Founded April 11, 1848, at the First Methodist Episcopal Church on this site. Its purpose was to foster the advancement of medical knowledge, relieve suffering, and promote the health of the community. Samuel Humes, M.D. of Lancaster was the first president. ==See also==