All-India Institute of Medical Sciences was created in 1956 to serve as a nucleus for nurturing excellence in all aspects of health care. It was established as an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament with the objects to develop patterns of teaching in Undergraduate and Post-graduate Medical Education in all its branches so as to demonstrate a high standard of Medical Education in India. The Institute has comprehensive facilities for teaching, research and patient-care. As provided in the Act, AIIMS runs a variety of undergraduate courses in  medicine, nursing and related areas , and postgraduate courses in virtually all the basic and clinical medical specialities and super specialities, and awards its own degrees.

Admissions to these courses are based on entrance examinations  conducted all over the country. Teaching and research are conducted in 42 disciplines. In the field of medical research AIIMS is the lead, having more than 600 research publications by its faculty and researchers in a year. AIIMS also runs a College of Nursing and trains students for B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing post-certificate) degrees. Twenty-five clinical departments including four super specialty centers manage practically all types of disease conditions with support from pre- and Para-clinical departments.