The National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) is one of the National Institutes of the Mexican Ministry of Public Health that provides third level medical care for adults. It opened its doors on October 12th, 1946 under the name of “Hospital for Nutrition Diseases”. However, in 1978, when it further developed its medical care to other fields and in recognition of its founder, the name of the hospital was changed to “National Institute for Nutrition Salvador Zubirán”. This title was preserved until June 2000, when the term “Medical Sciences” was also incorporated in its name in order to emphasize the nature of the Institution as a center of expertise dedicated to the comprehensive development of medicine. From the outset the INCMNSZ was conceived as an institution dedicated to provide specialized medical attention to address the nutrition and internal medicine healthcare necessities of the Mexican population. The institution is designed to promote and assure quality medical care in its techno-scientific dimension as well as in its interpersonal care. Furthermore, it adopted as one of its main principles the medical care focused on the patient within a general framework of quality, security and excellence. At the INCMNSZ the expertise and highly specialized knowledge is developed through scientific research that is translated into human resources formation and training in health care, and only then implemented in medical assistance. Our vision is to be leaders in creating and putting into effect innovative medical knowledge. Our purpose is that the high quality and safe healthcare provided by the Institute becomes a reference for national and international standards.