The organization began in 1917 after the opening of the University Hospital, when the need for some type of non-official support was needed. The first name adopted by the group was "Ladies of the Medical Faculty of UC," apparently the first such group west of the Mississippi. In 1925 the name was changed to "Doctors' Wives Association of U.C.," and the goals were much the same: working for hospital as needed, providing social occasions for wives of medical faculty. One of the earliest projects was the provision of clothing for children in the pediatric wards. In the years that followed, the Doctors' Wives also supported Dr. Olney's camp for diabetic children, decorated Christmas trees, and provided furnishings for Millberry Union.

After the opening of Moffitt Hospital, with the establishment of the Hospital Auxiliary in 1959, the Doctors' Wives were less involved with the hospitals, and focused on other projects, including provision of household goods for newly arrived foreign scholars, loan fund for students, funding for the clock installation on Millberry Union, etc. In 1970 the group changed its name to "Faculty Wives" and included members from all the schools on campus.