In September 1925 the first class of medical students was admitted to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. On January 4, 1926 the Strong Memorial Hospital was officially opened. The first patient was admitted the next day. On January 7th Dr. John J. Morton, Jr., newly appointed Chief of Surgery, performed the first operation. Ten days later the first baby was delivered. From these small beginnings the University of Rochester Medical Center had a steady and strong growth into the internationally renowned center of teaching, research and patient care that it is today. In recognition of its semicentennial the Medical Center con­ ducted a series of events during the 1975 - 76 year in which medi­ cal faculty and staff~ alumni, community physicians and distinguished visitors participated. This symposium on "Frontiers of Medicine" was a climactic event of the year's program. The twelve outstanding physicians and scientists undertook to look forward, in selected areas of biological science and medicine, to what promise there may be for developments to come which will significantly affect mankind's health and the quality of life. Four areas were chosen for discussion to cover the span of human life and to include aspects of it which are of vital interest and in which significant developments now seem to be prob­ able in the years ahead. So far as possible the presentations sought to cover the basic science, the clinical and the sociologic aspects of each subject area.