The Department of General Surgery began in 1918, as part of the Missionary Medical School for Women at the Mary Taber Schell Hospital. In 1924, the Department of Surgery moved to the newly built hospital at Thottapalayam (the present location) and Dr. Ida Scudder, the founder of our institution was the first Lecturer and Head of the Department.  In the year 1942, on obtaining provisional affiliation to the University of Madras the Missionary Medical School for Women became a Medical College. Soon, men were appointed as faculty in the Department of Surgery and in 1950, the first post graduate trainees were enrolled.

Over the years it saw expansion of its personnel, work and training of registrars. With the rapid developments of surgery in the early part of the twentieth century, teams dedicated in various surgical specialties were required and this gave rise to the departments of neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, urology, plastic surgery, pediatric surgery and orthopedics by the 1960s.

Presently....

With the developments in the second half of the century the need to re-organize the department, to cater better to patients with specific problems, was felt. This gave birth to the various specialties under the Department of General Surgery.

At present the Division of General Surgery is made of four general surgery departments (with their own fields of interest) and three specialty departments. We strive to render service of the highest standards to our patients. We are also involved in research activities and have made contributions in the academic world through publications and presentations in conferences.