The Government Medical College (GMC) is a popular medical institution in the state of Karnataka and it is considered to be one of the oldest medical colleges in India. The college started its journey in the year 1924, as the Mysore Medical College (MMC) and it was founded by Sri Krishnarajendra Wodiyar. At the time of its inception, the MMC, Mysore was the first in Karnataka and the seventh medical institution in India. Situated in the historical city of Mysore, the college is presently known as the Government Medical College (GMC), Mysore, as it is being run and managed by the State Government of Karnataka. The college is affiliated to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) and is also recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Initially, the Government Medical College (GMC) or the Mysore Medical College (MMC) was founded in the city of Bangalore (present day Bangaluru), as the Mysore Medical School, in 1917. The school was started for training the then called "Sub Assistant Surgeons" and the trainees did undergo a course for 4 years to qualify as a `Licensed Medical Practitioner` (LMP). The "Mysore Medical School" was upgraded and was renamed as the "Mysore Medical College" in 1924 and the college got affiliated to the University of Mysore. The trainees were also granted Medical Degrees. The college was shifted to Mysore from Bangalore, in 1930, at the request and insistence of Sri Krishnadevaraja Wodiyar.

Sri Krishnadevaraja Wodiyar laid down the foundation stone of the building of Government Medical College (GMC) or the Mysore Medical College (MMC) in 1930 and the building was further expanded in 1940. An associated hospital named the Krishnarajendra Hospital (K R Hospital) was also constructed during the same time and it started working as a 100 bedded Hospital. The other associating hospital, Cheluvamba hospital that was earlier known as Vanivilas Hospital, started its journey in 1880 with 24 beds. The college was upgraded to a 200 bedded hospital in 1939 and it was further expanded in 1954. The new OPD Block of the hospital was built in 1997 and new facilities have been continuously added on to the existing infrastructure. The K R Hospital complex was also upgraded with modern equipments in 1998.

The Government Medical College (GMC) or the Mysore Medical College (MMC), Mysore offers several courses in different fields of medical science at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The college admits its students in the undergraduate courses, through the CET, conducted by the Government of Karnataka for 85% of the seats. Only the residents of Karnataka are eligible for these seats. The rest of the 15% seats are of the all India Central Government quota and the seats are open to any citizens of India and admission to these seats are made through the AIPMT conducted by the CBSE for the Government of India. For admission in the postgraduate courses, the students have to go through the Post-Graduate entrance exam conducted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. This procedure is for 75% seats in the postgraduate programmes that are reserved for the residents of Karnataka. The rest of 25% seats are open to any citizen of India and admission in these All India Central Government quota seats are made through the All India Post Graduate Medical entrance examination. The examination is conducted by AIIMS. The college admits 100 students in the undergraduate courses and 150 students in the postgraduate courses, every year.

The major courses that the Government Medical College (GMC) or the Mysore Medical College (MMC), Mysore offers include the main undergraduate course of MBBS. The postgraduate courses offered by the college are MD in Anaesthesiology, Dermatology, General Medicine, Microbiology, Pulmanology, and Venerology; and MS in General Surgery. There are a number of hospitals attached to the college and the major hospitals are the K. R. Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital and the P.K.T.B and Chest Diseases Hospital.