Southern Medical University, the former First Military Medical University, was founded in October 1951 and notarized as one of the premier medical universities in 1978. The university was handed over to the local government of Guangdong Province and meanwhile renamed as Southern Medial University, in line with the command by the State Department and the Central Military Committee of PLA in August 2004. At present, the university has been authorized by the Department of Education as a key medical university.