The college was initially run by the Mysore Medical Education Society and was later handed over to the Government of Karnataka in 1956 and was affiliated to Bangalore University.

[1] It celebrated its golden jubilee in 2005–2006 with major renovation and the inauguration of a state-of-the-art digital library and Basavarajendra Auditorium.

Under the ₹1.2 billion (US$14 million) centrally funded project upgrade work is taking place in the college as well as all the affiliated hospitals.

The facilities available includes departments of Medicine, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Radiology and Radiotherapy, physiotherapy, Forensic Medicine super specialities include Plastic Surgery, Surgical and Medical Gastro Enterology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Cardiology and Urology Vanivilas Women and Children Hospital, also one of the oldest hospitals has 536 beds and an average of 75-80 patients are treated as out-patients every day, 17-20 patients admitted, and average 500 surgeries per month are conducted.

[5] These hospitals with total bed strength of around 3500, cater to half of the population of Bangalore City and surrounding areas.

The Tele-Medicine unit was started in collaboration with ISRO on the eve of Golden jubilee celebrations and it makes BMCRI the first Government Medical college to provide this facility in the state of Karnataka.

[7] The Clinical Skills Centre in the BMCRI campus was inaugurated by Sri Ramadass SA, The Minister for Medical Education, Karnataka on 17 November 2011.

The mentors at the centre include teaching faculty from BMCRI, other medical colleges and private practicing surgeons.

[8] The Infosys Foundation has constructed a well equipped 24 hours central laboratory at Victoria Hospital campus which includes the Pathology, Microbiology and the Biochemistry labs.

[9] The Centenary building houses new wards, the Nuclear medicine department with gamma camera and modern operation theatres.

Vishranthi Dhama, A Dharmashala on the campus provides highly subsidized accommodation for patients’ attendants.

The festival draws the best talents of India to its competitions, covering areas ranging from music and drama to literary games and quizzing.

[citation needed] An annual Intra college Fest called Chrysalis is held in the month of April.

It features various cultural and literary and sports events and helps in bringing out new, raw talents into the front through means of healthy competition between different batches of BMCRI.

BMCRI publishes an annual magazine Ambrosia which includes literary as well as professional contributions from the students as well as the faculty of the college.

Past college bands include The Dirty Aprons, Rudra, The Operation Theatre and Death on Diagnosis.