The First Annual Medical Education Partnership Initiative Symposium convened from March 7th through 10th in Johannesburg, South Africa. This dynamic meeting brought together representatives from all of the thirteen grantee institutions, some thirty regional partners, and more than twenty US-based partnering institutions.  The US Government agencies supporting  MEPI -- The Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (PEPFAR), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Health Resources and Services Administration,-- as well as range of public and private organizations from around the world were in attendance as well. The Symposium agenda included presentations by African and American dignitaries; MEPI Principal Investigators presented profiles of their schools and MEPI programs; and educational and research experts discussed opportunities for transformative health professions education in Africa.