PA Sangma International Medical College & Hospital (PIMC), located at 9th Mile, Baridua, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, holds the historic distinction of being the first private medical college in the state of Meghalaya and a landmark institution for the entire Northeast region. Formally approved by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on 26 October 2024, PIMC admitted its first batch of 150 MBBS students in the academic session 2024-25, marking a turning point in medical education for the state. The college is named in honour of the late Purno A. Sangma — the iconic Garo politician, former Lok Sabha Speaker, and founding president of the National People's Party — whose belief that 'investing in youth is the greatest investment a government can make' inspired the establishment of this institution. PIMC is a unit of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), a NAAC 'A' Grade deemed university ranked among India's top 200 universities by NIRF. The college campus is situated on the USTM campus at 9th Mile, Khanapara, on the Assam-Meghalaya border — a strategically chosen location that offers excellent national connectivity. It is only 15 km from Guwahati Railway Station and approximately 30 km from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi (LGB) International Airport, Guwahati, making it one of the most well-connected medical campuses in Northeast India. The campus itself is nestled amidst picturesque mountainous terrain enriched with medicinal plants and herbs, offering a serene and ecologically rich environment ideal for medical learning and healing. The founding of PIMC was not without challenges. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and his government played a pivotal role in addressing regulatory requirements to secure the college's NMC approval, including legislation for seat allocation, fee structures, and academic curriculum. The inauguration was attended by Soradini K. Sangma, wife of the late P.A. Sangma and mother of the Chief Minister — a deeply personal milestone for the state's first family. The campus infrastructure is modern and technology-driven, featuring air-conditioned lecture halls with audio-visual aids, digitally enabled smart classrooms, fully equipped anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology laboratories, and a central library stocked with medical textbooks, journals, and online resources. The campus is Wi-Fi enabled, and student welfare facilities include separate, secure hostels for male and female students with mess, 24-hour security, and recreational amenities. The teaching hospital — PIMC Teaching Hospital — is a 605-bed multi-specialty facility with general wards, ICUs, HDUs, multiple operation theatres, and advanced diagnostic facilities including X-ray, ultrasound, and CT scan. Specialized departments include Urology, Cardiology, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), Nephrology, Pulmonology, and Gastroenterology. The hospital is empanelled under Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY), enabling free or subsidized care for eligible patients. The hospital performed its first surgery on 24 April 2024, and has since been actively operational. Plans are underway for an expanded 1,100-bed super-specialty hospital on campus, covering cardiology, neurology, nephrology, and cancer care. Academically, PIMC follows the NMC-mandated Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum. The 150 MBBS seats are distributed as: 64 seats for Meghalaya State Quota (permanent Meghalaya residents with valid domicile/ST/SC certificate), 63 seats for Management Quota (Indian citizens qualifying NEET UG), and 23 seats for NRI Quota. State Quota admissions are conducted by the Meghalaya State Counselling Authority (MSCA) through the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya. The official fee structure for AY 2024-25 (as notified by the Government of Meghalaya): State Quota — ₹4,95,000 per year (₹24,75,000 for entire 5-year course); Management Quota — ₹18,00,000 per year (₹90,00,000 total); NRI Quota — USD 2,00,000 for the entire course. Meghalaya Health Minister Dr. Ampareen Lyngdoh defended the state quota fee as permissible under NMC norms and agreed upon in joint meetings with USTM. The fee can be deposited by DD/RTGS/NEFT in favour of 'P.A. Sangma International Medical College & Hospital'. PIMC has also launched the 'Mission Charity' initiative under USTM to provide subsidized super-specialty care and free general healthcare to economically disadvantaged Meghalaya residents. The college also plans to set up a future dental college on the USTM campus in memory of the late Dr. Donkupar Roy. With its combination of historic significance, modern infrastructure, a well-connected campus, and a vision for global healthcare excellence, PIMC is positioned to become the leading medical institution of Meghalaya and a major medical education hub for Northeast India.