Himachal  Pradesh Medical  College at Shimla (HPMC) was  established in  the year  1966 with admissions of  50 students in  the  first batch. With the  establishment of Medical College in the
State, the hopes and aspirations of the people of the state were met with the standards of health services going on and students  benefiting with the advantage of staying home and getting better educational avenues. Medical College then had a modest beginning with makeshift arrangements
for  hostels etc., but  ecstasy of joining the Medical  College located in  Shimla with its salubrious climate, took away the agony.

Himachal Pradesh  Medical College was renamed Indira Gandhi Medical College ( now  popularly known as  IGMC  in  abbreviated  form) in  1984. Admission facility  was increased to 65 in  the year 1978.  2,337number
of under- graduates have passed out from this Medical College till 2005.

The post  Graduate courses  were started  in 16  disciplines in  the year
1981. So  far  462  post  graduates and  231in  diploma  courses  have
passed out  from IGMC till March 2006. More  PG  courses have been  added from  the session 2002-2005  in the  specialties of  Radiotherapy (Oncology)  and
Skin and VD. Total number of PG Degree seats are 39 and 18 are in diploma courses.

Efforts are on  to  introduce PG courses in  the disciplines  of  Psychiatry and Pulmonary Medicine.
50% seats are  available at  IGMC  through  all India  Quota from 2005 onwards.15% seats  in M.B.B.S. course are available to all  India Quota and  2 seats are available to NRI candidates.

Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla has also been granted the status of Regional Cancer Centre
by  the  Govt. of India,  thus providing  much needed  comprehensive  cancer  care to  the  cancer patient. Essential periodical upgradation of facilities for investigations and treatment have been going
on regularly and in the year 2005 facility of Open Heart Surgery has been made operationla and in 2006 MRI facility has been added.