The need to have a separate Medical University in TamilNadu exclusively to deal with medical education and Research at undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral level was keenly felt for over a period of years and was under consideration of the state Government since 1980. The state govt appointed a high level committee consisting Dr A Venugopal, Dr M Natarajan and Dr Kameswaran to go into all aspects of establishing a separate medical university and make suitable recommendations to the state govt.

This is the only one university in TamilNadu capable of generating affiliation to new institutions under govt or self financing in

Medical, Dental, Indian medicine/ Homoeopathy and allied health sciences [ Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy etc.. ] and awarding degree under high student of education until 1988, all degrees of Health Science were awarded by the university of madras.