The Centre Laennec Paris is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025. As part of a trio of Laennec centers (including those in Lyon and Marseille), it is part of a network serving about 2,500 students. These centres share a common pedagogical mission and are governed by the same charter, offering training from the first through the sixth year of medical studies.

The mission of Laennec is to form future doctors who are “for and with others”—professionals who combine scientific excellence with human, spiritual, and ethical formation. The institution offers students a complement to their university courses: a space adapted to the rigours of medical studies, ethical training, pastoral support, and a strong sense of community.

The history of the Centre Laennec began in 1875 with the foundation of the “conference of young men” (conférence des jeunes gens), led by Father Hubin and presided over by Dr. Michaux. Initially located at 35 rue de Sèvres in Paris, it moved in 1903 to 12 rue d’Assas. This group of Christian medical students evolved into “Laennec,” and helped students prepare for medical internships and externships with the support of older alumni.

The name “Laennec” comes from René Théophile Laennec, a 19th-century Breton physician, inventor of the stethoscope, and a devout Christian, closely associated with the Jesuits after the Society’s restoration in 1814. Laennec’s legacy symbolizes a unity between faith and science which the Centres endeavour to carry forward.

Today, the centre faces several challenges: transmitting religious and moral values in a secularized society; offering support in a context of increasing pressure, isolation, and fatigue among medical students; fighting against individualism; and integrating its identity and mission within the wider university and hospital ecosystem. Even so, it continues to adapt to modern realities while preserving its foundational intuition: forming caregivers who are “fully human,” attentive to the vulnerable, rooted in faith, and yet rigorous in their scientific and moral responsibilities.

To mark the 150-year milestone, a celebratory day is planned for 27 September, gathering former students, current students, friends, and families. The program includes a historical lecture by Professor Jean-Noël Fiessinger (former Laennec alumnus and President of the French National Academy of Medicine), testimonies, addresses by Jesuit leaders, and concludes with a Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Paris, Mgr Laurent Ulrich.