Loma Linda University

Loma Linda University had its beginning in 1905 when Seventh-day Adventists John Burden and Ellen G. White worked together to purchase the property and develop what became known as the Loma Linda Sanitarium.[7] In 1906, Ellen White recalled:

"While attending the General Conference of 1905, at Washington, D. C, I received a letter from Elder J. A. Burden, describing a property he had found four miles west of Redlands, five and one-half miles southeast of San Bernardino, and eight miles northeast of Riverside. As I read his letter, I was impressed that this was one of the places I had seen in vision, and I immediately telegraphed him to secure the property without delay. He did so, and as the result, Loma Linda is in our possession."[8]

In February 1906, a council of church workers met at Loma Linda. It consisted of the faculty of Fernando Academy, the faculty of the Loma Linda school, and the executive committee of the Southern California Conference. John Burden reported their ideas to Ellen White in a letter dated February 14 that there was agreement on the siting of the school.

In 1906, The Loma Linda College of Evangelists was established. Courses included:

• Religion: Bible Evangelism, Acts and Epistles, Missionary Methods, and Doctrines and Prophecies.
• General: History, Languages, Mathematics, English, Music, Piano and Organ.
• Industrial: Science of Gardening, Practical Gardening, Electrical Mechanics, Carpentry, Cookery, Accounting, Sewing.
• Nursing/Medical: Chemistry and Anatomy, Children's Diseases, Physiology, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Hydrotherapy, Practical Nursing and Hydrotherapy.[9]

The 1910 Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook enters the school as 'Loma Linda College'. It adds the legal title, 'College of Medical Evangelists of Loma Linda' (CME) and notes that the school was chartered as a Medical College in 1909.[10] At the General Conference Committee Council held at Takoma Park, April 5–15, 1910. Later that same year, the minutes for the 187th Meeting of the General Conference Committee, December 2, recorded that the medical school and other facilities were to be furnished in 1910.[11]

From 1913 to 1962, the university taught basic sciences in Loma Linda, but sent its students to Los Angeles for clinical experience. Ellen White promoted rural settings for Adventist schools, but to train medical students, the school needed clinical experience. Loma Linda Sanitarium did not have such a clinic.[12] The American Medical Association would not recognize the medical college if it did not provide adequate clinical experience for its students.

In 1905, the American Medical Association formed a national Council on Medical Education. Dr. Nathan Porter Colwell (1870–1936) became its first secretary the next year. In reaction, Adventists leaders interested in developing the medical school met with Dr. Colwell. He visited the campus and gave counsel on how to proceed. E. E. Andross, president of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and chairman of the board for the College of Medical Evangelists, reported on a special meeting of the constituency of the college convened at Loma Linda, January 27, 1913. A large number of General Conference men were in California at time. Andross called this meeting in order to benefit from their counsel. In his report, he wrote that a medical hospital and dispensary was needed to address accreditation requirements for the future medical education at the institution. On September 29, 1913, the College of Medical Evangelists opened the First Street Dispensary in the heart of Los Angeles.[13]

The December 16, 1915 Review and Herald reported on the General Conference Committee's Biennial Council which met in November at Loma Linda:

"In order to equip and properly complete the medical college at Loma Linda, Cal., it will be necessary to build in Los Angeles a hospital requiring an outlay of approximately $60,000. The constituency of the medical college voted to erect this building when the funds have been provided, so that there will be no further increase of indebtedness. A memorial presented, suggesting that the necessary funds to this end be raised by the women of the denomination, and that a committee of sisters be appointed to promote this work..."[14]

The United States federal government exempted medical students from the military draft. But they would only recognize 'A' and 'B' rated medical schools. The College of Medical Evangelists only had a 'C' rating. The California state authorities supported a higher rating. After a nationwide effort, Percy T. Magan and colleagues persuaded Dr. Colwell to visit the school and determine whether a 'B' rating could be given. After the AMA's visit, the rating was upgraded to 'B'. Medical students who had already left for their military duties returned to finish their medical training. Margaret Rossiter White, Historical Records Librarian at Loma Linda wrote at the time it was a tremendous victory for Loma Linda.[15]

LLU's 47 General Hospital, Milne Bay

On November 16, 1922, Dr. Colwell reported that the Council on Medical Education had granted an 'A' rating to the College of Medical Evangelists.

The medical world, under the leadership of the American Medical Association was quickly developing standards for medical education and for the quality of hospitals. The requirements for accreditation developed as well. The July 12, 1923 Review and Herald presented the addresses given at the Educational Convention held at Colorado Springs, Colo., June 5–19, 1923. In an article entitled 'Separation from the World in Education', W.E. Howell, former President of the Loma Linda College of Evangelists (1906)[9] and at the time of the article, the Secretary, or director, of the SDA General Conference Education Department[16] expressed concern for where dependence on accreditation would lead Adventist schools.[17]

During World War II, the CME sponsored the 47th General Hospital.[18]

In 1961 college leaders voted to convert the institution to a university and renamed the institution after the city. All its science and clinical faculties were consolidated within the city of Loma Linda by 1962.

On July 9, 1967, the university opened the Loma Linda University Medical Center with more than 125 patients from the old community hospital.[19] The university also operated the Seventh-day Adventist liberal arts college in Riverside from 1967 to 1990, which is now known as La Sierra University.

In 1980, the state designated LLU the only Level I trauma center in San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo and Mono counties, which comprise more than a fourth of the state's land mass. About 1,600 emergency helicopters land there each year.[19]

In October 1984, at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Baby Fae became the first human to receive a heart of a baboon. The transplant appeared to be successful, but Baby Fae died 21 days later of heart failure due to rejection of the transplant.

In 1991, B. Lyn Behrens became the first female president of LLU. Serving until March 2008, she was succeeded by Richard Hart, who had previously served as LLU's chancellor.

Loma Linda University celebrated the Grand Opening of its new 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m²) Centennial Complex on October 28, 2009. The complex includes new classrooms, two large 200–400 seat amphitheaters and more than 100 workstations with labs for dental, medical, physical therapy and graduate students. Updated technology allows the university to link to areas around the globe. Additionally, the complex houses simulation labs where students can practice medical skills on live actors and sophisticated robotic mannequins. The complex was expected to bump up the university's growth by 25 percent from its current enrollment of 4,000 students to 5,000 students by 2010.[20]

The special relationship between Loma Linda University and Representative Jerry Lewis, R – San Bernardino, first came to light in a Pulitzer Award-winning expose written by Jerry Kammer.[24] Lewis has lent significant help in funding important school operations. From 1998–2003, Loma Linda has received $167.2 million in federal funds, the number one academic recipient in the country receiving nearly $60 million more than the runner up, the University of South Florida.[25] In 2000, it was the single largest recipient of higher education grants at $36 million. Several grants were from the Department of Defense, plus $5 million from NASA for space radiation research. Critics point out that the brother of Lewis is employed by Loma Linda University.[26] In 2008, Loma Linda University received nearly $9.5 million of which $5 million came from the Department of Defense.[27]