King Edward Medical University was established in 1860. It is one of the oldest medical institution in the South Asia, after Medical College Kolkata (1835) in India. Initially known as Lahore Medical College in 1886. Both the college and the attached hospital (Lahore Dispensary) were small compared to the current size.

The first academic building was completed in 1883. The university and the attached hospital was built piece by piece by the funding and efforts of several dedicated people in the coming years.

In December 21, 1911, Lahore Medical College was rechristened King Edward Medical College, and was updated to the status of an independent, degree-granting university on May 12, 2005