The University of Khartoum, originally established as the Kitchener School of Medicine, holds the distinction of being the first professional medical school in Sudan, opening its doors in 1924. It remained the sole institution for medical education in the country until 1984, when the first graduates from Gezira University Medical School joined the ranks of Sudanese physicians.

Over nearly a century, the Faculty of Medicine has consistently produced highly qualified, competent, and dedicated doctors, who have excelled in their chosen medical fields and contributed to the development of the faculty, the wider healthcare system, and the community at large. The alumni’s exceptional dedication has enabled the faculty to navigate and overcome numerous historical challenges, including famine, armed conflicts, political instability, social upheavals, and economic hardships. Despite these adversities, the faculty’s resilience, bolstered by the support of its alumni, ensured its continued growth and excellence.

Sudanese medical graduates have played a pivotal role not only in healthcare but also in social, political, and humanitarian missions throughout the nation’s history. The faculty has nurtured such contributions by creating an environment that encourages extracurricular activities, leadership development, and community engagement, helping students develop well-rounded personalities, self-confidence, and leadership skills.

The faculty actively encouraged senior graduates to mentor undergraduates in running outreach clinics in rural areas across Sudan on a voluntary basis. It also developed structured, community-based training programs as part of the rural residency program during the fifth year of medical training (Community Medicine). This approach prepared students to provide continuous support to community health initiatives and to respond effectively to health crises using available financial, logistical, and human resources, while applying disaster risk reduction strategies.

The number of medical graduates has grown steadily since the faculty’s founding. The first graduating class in 1928 comprised only eight doctors, but numbers gradually increased over the decades. Funding initiatives, such as the trust established by Albaghdadi, helped provide economic support and bursaries for financially disadvantaged students, enabling wider access to medical education. By the 1970s, graduating classes averaged around 40 doctors per year, with female graduates remaining very few, typically no more than two per class. However, female representation in medicine rose significantly over time, reaching parity with male graduates in 1993, and eventually achieving a ratio of 2:1 in favor of women by 2009.

Throughout its history, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, has remained a cornerstone of Sudanese medical education, producing generations of healthcare professionals whose skills, commitment, and leadership continue to shape Sudan’s health system, society, and humanitarian efforts.