Jefferson College of Health Sciences was founded in 1914 as Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing.  Dr. Hugh Trout Sr. was an early pioneer of health care in the Roanoke Valley.  Dr. Trout obtained his M.D. degree from the University of Virginia in 1902.  After completing his surgical residency in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Trout relocated to Southwest Virginia.  In 1907, he founded a small, 40-bed facility located at what is now 1311 Franklin Road.  The hospital was named Jefferson Hospital in honor and memory of Thomas Jefferson. 

Dr. Trout soon found that the need for adequately trained nurses in the area far surpassed those available. In an effort to alleviate the shortage, he established the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing.  The school opened its doors in 1914, with an initial class of 6 students.  All six completed the 33-month training program and graduated in 1917.  A self-study following the first graduation concluded that the school exceeded the Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing, published by the National League for Nursing Education in 1917.  The school went on to gain approval by the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association in 1923.  The American Hospital Association recognized the school in 1926.  Around the same time as the development of Jefferson Hospital, Dr. James Newton Lewis and Dr. Sparrell Simmons Gale were initiating their own vision of healthcare for the Roanoke Valley.  In 1909, they founded Lewis-Gale Hospital in Downtown Roanoke, and in 1911, the Lewis-Gale School of Nursing was born.  The two schools operated independently of each other for many years.  Between 1914 and 1965, Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing alone trained 658 new nurses, most of which stayed within the community upon graduation.

During Jefferson Hospital's first 50 years, it was expanded three times and grew to a 151-bed facility.  In 1953, Jefferson Hospital hired a 26-year old administrator named William Reid.  He soon became aware of the booming population and the rising costs of health care in Southwest Virginia.  The population of Roanoke had rapidly expanded beyond the capabilities of the Jefferson Hospital facility.  In 1960, under his direction, a new hospital facility was commissioned.  The project was truly reliant on the community, as citizens donated $3.3 million toward construction costs.  Several sites were considered, including ones in Salem and near what is now Tanglewood Mall, before land was purchased near the newly opened Interstate 581 corridor.  Groundbreaking occurred in 1963, with the new hospital scheduled to open in 1965.  However, construction delays, including the replacement of concrete columns that did not meet building standards, resulted in the opening being delayed until 1967.  On August 27, 1967, 10,000 people toured the new Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley. 

In 1965, it was decided that the Lewis-Gale School of Nursing and the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing should combine under the direction of the new hospital.  This led to the formation of the Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley School of Nursing.  The school was under the guidance of Lavina Duncan, RN, formerly of Lewis-Gale, who was named Director of Nursing Services for the new hospital in 1964.  William Reid was also a chief figure, as administrator for the school.  The Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley School of Nursing had an inaugural class of 50 students, and in 1968 graduated its first class of 29 new nurses.  At the time, neither Lewis-Gale nor Community Hospital had facilities to house the School of Nursing.  Therefore the hospital leased six floors of the Carlton Terrace Building (now the Reid Center) for use by the school. 

The school operated in this fashion for approximately fifteen years.  Then in 1980, a task force investigated the possibility of establishing a hospital-based college that would grant 2-year degrees in nursing and allied health.  In 1981 the Community Hospital Board of Trustees made a commitment to such a school, and in 1982 the Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley College of Health Sciences was established.  The College of Health Sciences was the first hospital-based college in Virginia.  In addition, Community Hospital was one of only seven in the nation to have its College of Health Sciences accredited by the Commission for Higher Education.  Dr. Jerome Cohen, who helped establish the college and was serving as Educational Director of the hospital, was named its first Dean on August 23, 1982.  Dr. Cohen came to Roanoke after serving as an administrator and Associate Professor in the Connecticut community college system. 

In 1986, the College obtained accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to grant degrees at the Associate Level.  In 1989 the College named its first President, Dr. Harry C. Nickens.  Dr. Nickens was very active in the local community and had been a leader in Roanoke for over 20 years.  He directed the College through the addition of several programs and to a record enrollment of 615 students in 1998. He continued to lead the College until 2001, when he left to become president of the College's foundation.  In 1992, William Reid, director of Community Hospital, announced his retirement.  In appreciation for his contributions to the College and Hospital system, the Carlton Terrace Building was renamed the Reid Center.  William Reid remains an active member of the College Board of Directors to this day.  

The College continued to expand in 1995 when it was accredited by SACS at the Baccalaureate degree level.  In 1999, the College admitted its first international students, showing growth on a global scale.  In 2000, the re-affirmation site visit by SACS was completed, rewarding the College with long-term accreditation.  The last two years have seen record enrollments (approximately 900 in 2005) at the College. 

In 2003, it was decided that the name of the College should be changed.  This was due, in part, to the fact that the Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley no longer existed, having changed its name to Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital.  In addition, a new name would give the College a larger presence in the community, while acknowledging its history.  In October 2003, the College officially became Jefferson College of Health Sciences, recognizing both its past and future in the Roanoke Valley. 

In 2005, the College was granted Carnegie Level III status by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which gives Jefferson approval to offer graduate programs.  That year, the first group of master's of science in nursing students began their studies.  In Fall 2008, two more graduate programs will open, the master of science in physician assistant and the master of science in occupational therapy. 

While Jefferson was founded as Jefferson School of Nursing almost a century ago, the College celebrates 25 years of degree-granting status in 2007.  A year-long schedule of special events will be held to commemorate and honor the vision of several, the work of many, and the legacy of four great institutions, that have provided the foundation for Jefferson College of Health Sciences.

The College continues its mission of providing competent and caring health care professionals who make a difference not only in Southwest Virginia, but across the country as well.