Mahidol University is an autonomous public research university in Thailand. The university was founded as part of Siriraj Hospital in 1888. It was first called the University of Medical Science in 1943, and has been recognized as Thailand's fourth public university. The university was renamed in 1969 by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, known as the "Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health in Thailand".