"Perhaps less than once in a century does genetic chance produce a person the caliber of William Osler, clinician, scientist, teacher, humanist, historian, bibliophile, he was without question the greatest physician of our time" (Richard Golden, MD. JAMA; Dec 28, 1979. Vol 242:26; 2862)

• Widely regarded as “The Father of Modern Medicine” and probably the “Greatest Physician of all Time”
• In 1875, at age 26, became the (baby) Professor of the Institutes of Medicine, at McGill University
• In 1884, served as Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• In 1889, was one of the four founders of Johns-Hopkins School of Medicine (along with Kelly, Welch, and Halsted) and served as Professor of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief
• In 1905, appointed Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University (the position created by King Henry VIII)
• Promoted medicine as a “Calling” and taught the importance of listening closely to the patient and carefully taking their medical history
• Pioneered Bedside Teaching in North America. “Medicine is learned at the bedside – not in the classroom.”
• Stressed the importance of correlating the medical history and physical examination with the pathological findings of disease
• He was one of the early adopters and a popularizer of the microscopic in studying various organs and body fluids in health and disease. At one time, he even purchased, “from his own pocket”, a microscope for every student in his class at McGill
• Doctors and their families from all over the country sought out his consultation but he cared for all, including paupers, renowned artists, wealthy industrialists, aristocrats, presidents, prime ministers, and members of the Royal Family