Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia, United States. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in 1854. In 1968, the Virginia General Assembly merged MCV with the Richmond Professional Institute, founded in 1917, to create Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2025, more than 29,280 students were enrolled in more than 200 academic programs, and 23 VCU programs were ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s top 50 best college programs. VCU Medical Center is ranked the number one hospital in Virginia according to U.S. News & World Report. The VCU Health System supports health care education, research, and patient care.