Dr. John Berry White, MRCS, a British Surgeon of the East India Company, was the pioneer to start Health Education and health care in Assam. He established a medical school known as 'Berry White Medical School' at Dibrugarh, Assam in 1898-99. In course of time this medical school was upgraded and on 3rd Nov., 1947 the Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh was established and it stands as the first medical college in Assam.

With increasing demands for health care and health education, the need for more medical colleges in Assam was keenly felt. The State Government in 1959 headed by Mr. B.P. Chaliha, the then Chief Minister of Assam, Mr. Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed, the then Finance Minister, and Mr. Rupram Brahma as the then Medical Minister of Assam decided to have a second medical college in Assam. On 7th Nov., 1959 the State Government set up an expert committee to go into the matter and submit their report.