The Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute started as a private Medical college in the year 1955 by Mysore Education Society. The Founders of this Society were Dr. R. Shivaram, Dr. Mekhri, Dr. B.K. Narayana Rao and Dr. B.V. Ramaswamy. In the year 1957 it was handed over to the then Government of Mysore and was affiliated to Mysore University and then on to the Bangalore University. In the year 1996 it got affiliated to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences.
Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute has MCI recognition for 150 Undergraduate, 75 Postgraduate Degree, 71 PG Diploma seats, 2 Super Speciality seats one  each for M.Ch Urology & M.Ch Plastic Surgery. MCI has inspected for recognition of 3 more Super Speciality courses DM (Neurology), DM (Cardio Thoracic Surgery) and M.Ch (Surgical Gastroenterology). Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute has Fellowship programmes in Vitreo Retina, Surgical Gastroenterology, Neurology and Dermato Surgery with 2 seats each. Simultaneously running in the Institution also runs Para Medical courses.
The College has a Central library comprising of  several standard books and annually subscribes to about 120 journals (Foreign & Indian) each year.