The Foundation by Colin Andrews (pseudonym for F. Paul Wilson)

Quinn Cleary has always wanted to be a doctor. But her family is poor, so the only way she'll make her dream come true is to win acceptance to The Ingraham -- the gold-plated medical school which accepts only the very best pre-med students. Its graduates include the tops in their profession, and tuition is free -- completely funded by the Kleederman Foundation. It sounds too good to be true.

With the help of friends, Quinn secures a place, and plunges into her studies. Within the vast, isolated, but totally high-tech complex, she even finds a part-time job working in a research lab catering for third-degree burn victims -- its neighbouring ward surrealistically filled with patients wrapped head-to-tow like mummies.

But Quinn also becomes increasingly involved with fellow student Tim Brown, who is a but of a wild man. When they become lovers, her life seems perfect.

However, as the term progresses, Quinn begins to notice a subtle change in the attitudes of her pre-med contemporaries. Even the most free-thinking are changing their views and coming into line with centralised Ingraham policy. She confesses her suspicions to Tim, but he laughs her off. . .until he himself discovers a tiny electronic microphone in the dorm. 

Suddenly Tim disappears, and no one can find him. The only trail he leaves is the credit-card purchase of a one-way ticket to Las Vegas. As Quinn's panic grows, so does her conviction that something very strange is happening at the Ingraham. And that, unless she can rapidly uncover the truth, she -- and Tim -- may soon disappear permanently. But as she succeeds, all hell will break loose in those carefully monitored corridors...

Genres: Horror - Thriller - Mystery - Medical - Suspense - Mystery Thriller - Medical Thriller - Science Fiction - American Author