Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (Ribeirão Preto Medical School in Portuguese) is a medical school of the University of São Paulo (USP) located in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil, founded in 1952. It is considered one of the three best medical schools in the country and a premier medical research center. Its main campus is located in a charming old coffee farm in the outskirts of the city, with a total built area of , including a small lake. It has a central building with the main departments for the basic medical sciences and an adjoining University Hospital, with 847 beds. In 2003, the hospital provided in-patient care to 33,973 persons and out-patient (ambulatory) care to approximately 588,000. All medical care is provided free of charge. History The Ribeirão Preto Medical School was the third founded in the state of São Paulo and the first outside the capital. In 1951, the state government supported the creation of the school as a way of promoting a better coverage of physicians to the rapidly growing cities in its hinterland. A committee was formed in the University of São Paulo to study and to propose the new school. A professor from the University, physician and parasitologist Dr. Zeferino Vaz was nominated as its chairman and later became the Faculty's first dean, remaining until 1964. With great foresight, and against many resistances of the traditional medical academic establishment, he advocated a modern, research-based school, with all professors with full-time dedication. This was unheard of at that time in Brazil: in this Vaz was trying to follow the most successful American medical schools, such as Johns Hopkins Medical School. Lacking the researchers and professors with the mentality and experience he needed, he resorted to inviting them from Europe and United States. The school campus was established in a beautiful wooded area in the outskirts of Ribeirão Preto, which was formerly the seat of a state technical agricultural school, and before that, a coffee farm. In the beginning, since the city still lacked adequate resources for housing the professors, several houses in a Mediterranean style were built and furnished for free, thus compensating for the relatively small salaries that were paid to them at that time. By means of such drive to excellence, soon the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto achieved prominence and a unique status in Brazil. In