The Division of General Internal Medicine at WashU launched in 2025 and builds upon decades of outstanding clinical care, medical education, and research across prior groups including Primary Care, Geriatrics, Hospital Medicine, Medical Education, and General Medical Sciences.
Prior to the establishment of GIM, separate divisions existed for General Medicine & Geriatrics, General Medicine Sciences, and Hospital Medicine. In 2025, Margaret L. (Molly) McNairy, MD, MSc, was named chief of both divisions. Under her leadership, the divisions were unified to leverage all the strengths of academic general internal medicine to improve clinical care, faculty development, and research innovation.
General Medicine & Geriatrics
Academic activity in the disciplines of health services research and clinical epidemiology at WashU Medicine predated the formation of a dedicated division. In 1967, Gerald T. Perkoff, MD, started the Division of Medical Care Research, which was followed shortly by formation of the Medical Care Group of St. Louis, one of the first prepaid group practices in the nation. In 1994, the Division of Medical Sciences was formed to establish a nationally recognized and innovative program of original research, including outcomes assessment, technology assessment, health services research and clinical epidemiology; to establish research training for fellows and faculty interested in these areas of research; and to support the training of primary care physicians for BJC HealthCare and WashU Medicine.
BECKER MEDICAL LIBRARY
Meanwhile, the origins of Geriatics at WashU Medicine started in 1995 with the establishment of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology. This division was restructured into the Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences in 2002, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle, obesity and metabolic function on aging and frailty.
More recently, the Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics was established, bringing together expertise in research and clinical care for adults of all ages. Now, as part of GIM, General Medicine faculty serve within the Section of Ambulatory Medicine, while Geriatrics faculty are housed within the Section of Geriatrics.
Hospital Medicine
The Division of Hospital Medicine at WashU Medicine was established in 2000. Ours was among the first hospital medicine divisions in the country. Over its 25+ year history, the division saw significant growth—expanding from 5 physicians in 2000 to more than 140 faculty in 2026.
Hospitalists at WashU Medicine demonstrate clinical excellence, award-winning education, quality improvement, and collaborative partnerships throughout the hospital. Hospital Medicine has expanded to a variety of clinical service lines and played a key role in leading the hospital through the COVID pandemic in 2020 and beyond.
As part of GIM, hospitalists in the Section of Hospital Medicine provide comprehensive, compassionate inpatient care and train future leaders in hospital medicine through the internal medicine residency at WashU Medicine.