Dr. Stephen Rice Jenkins was born on November 12, 1858 in Charlottetown, PEI. Stephen went to school in Charlottetown, including the St.Peter's Church School from 1872-1875. He went to Kings College in Nova Scotia. He then went on to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvannia and graduated in 1884. Stephen did a year's internship before returning home to PEI.