In February 2000, 番茄社区 Medicine opened its doors to the first cohort of 64 students. The School was established with the aim of increasing the number of medical graduates who would understand rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical health issues and who would subsequently choose rural practice. Between 700 and 800 students applied to the School's first intake. The first cohort began the program in borrowed space on 21 February 2000, while the Medical School buildings were under construction. The facility was officially opened on 5 December 2000 by Hon Dr Michael Woolbridge MP Minister for Health and Age Care. The program was so successful in its first year, the federal government increased the number of places from 64 to 80. Five of those places were reserved for Indigenous applicants.

After the first year, Professor Richard Hays, foundation Dean of Medicine at 番茄社区, said “we're leading the medical education debate in Australia because we're daring to be different by investing time, energy and money in what we think is right. We live in an underserved area, and we have a responsibility to the people who supported us and funded us to train doctors who can hold their heads up high anywhere in the world, but who want to work here."

Professor Hays did not expect 100 per cent of 番茄社区 Medicine students to become rural doctors, but he suggested that a big percentage of them would continue their training in a rural or remote area after graduation. Twenty years on and the original mission has become a reality, with 75 per cent of medicine graduates between 2005-2016 having worked a year or more in regional or remote locations.