Royal College of Physicians facts for kids
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The Royal College of Physicians headquarters is a Grade I listed building
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| Established | 1518 |
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| Type | Medical royal college |
| Headquarters | Regent's Park, London, England |
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Members
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40,000 (May 2021) |
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President
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Mumtaz Patel |
| Affiliations | Academy of Medical Royal Colleges |
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Staff
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414 (2019) |
The Royal College of Physicians of London (often called the Royal College of Physicians or RCP) is a special group in Britain. It works to make medicine better, mainly by checking if doctors are good enough through exams. King Henry VIII started the College of Physicians with a special royal paper in 1518. This makes it the oldest medical college in England.
The main building of the RCP is in Regent's Park in London. It's a very important building from after World War II. In 2016, the RCP decided to open a new place in Liverpool. This new building, called The Spine, opened in May 2021.
Contents
The RCP's Long History
The college got its official start in 1518 with a special paper from the King. This paper was called a royal charter. It was confirmed by a law in 1523. The name "Royal College of Physicians of London" became official much later, in 1960. This law also allowed the college to move its main building to Regent's Park.
The college has been in many different places in London over the years. It started near St Paul's Cathedral. Later, it moved to Pall Mall East, which is near Trafalgar Square. Finally, it moved to its current home in Regent's Park.
In 1666, a huge fire called the Great Fire of London destroyed many parts of the city. It also damaged many rooms and most of the books at the college. After this, the college became the group that approved medical books. It also started setting new rules for learning and giving exams. The RCP still gives exams today, and that's how many people know about it.
The Royal College of Physicians celebrated its 500th birthday in 2018. That's a very long time!
Becoming a Member or Fellow
Doctors can join the Royal College of Physicians in different ways.
Becoming a Member
Doctors who pass special exams get to use "MRCP(UK)" after their name. These exams are given by all the UK Royal Colleges of Physicians together. If they pass, they can become "Collegiate Members" of the London College. There's also "Affiliate membership" for experienced doctors who don't have the MRCP(UK) qualification. Both types of members can later become Fellows.
The college also has memberships for medical students and doctors just starting their careers.
Becoming a Fellow
Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians are very experienced doctors. They get to use "FRCP" after their name. Most Fellows are chosen from the members. Some are also chosen from doctors who specialize in areas like occupational medicine or forensic medicine.
There are also special Fellows. Some are medical experts from other countries. Others are important people like members of the Royal Family.
The Royal College of Physicians has a special collection of books called Munk's Roll. These books tell the life stories of many of the college's Fellows.
The RCP Library
The RCP has an amazing library. It helps doctors, students, and staff find information. The library also has unique collections that people can use for research. You can find books on many topics there, including:
- The history of medicine
- Family history (genealogy)
- How health and social rules are made
- How doctors are taught
Special Old Books
The Royal College of Physicians has had a library since it started in 1518. Sadly, most of the first books were lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The library's special old books cover many different subjects. They show what doctors and scholars were interested in long ago. You can see these rare books by making an appointment.
Some amazing items in the collection include:
- About 130 books printed before 1502. These include some of the very first printed medical texts from ancient Greek, Roman, and Arabic doctors.
- Books that belonged to John Dee, a famous scholar from the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He even wrote notes in them!
- Over 3,000 books from before 1688 in the Dorchester collection. These cover topics like building design, science, and travel.
- More than 4,500 short writings from the 1600s to the 1800s. They cover many medical and scientific topics.
- The Evan Bedford collection, which has almost every important book about heart medicine up to 1970.
The library also has many important books from the 1900s. These include books about the history of the RCP's special medical fields. There are also books about the lives of famous doctors and the history of the NHS. The library even has every report and pamphlet the RCP has ever published.
The college often puts on exhibitions to show off its book collections.
Museum Collections
The Royal College of Physicians has museum collections that tell the story of the college and the history of doctors. These collections help us understand how medicine and healthcare have changed over time. They include: paintings, silver items, medical tools, special medals, and anatomical tables.
The college has about 250 portraits (paintings and sculptures). These show presidents, Fellows, and other doctors connected to the college since 1518. Some pieces are by famous artists. For example, there's a sculpture of Richard Mead by Louis François Roubiliac.
The silver collection has only a few items from before the Great Fire of London in 1666. This is because of a robbery that happened just before the fire. Two items that survived are Baldwin Hamey's inkstand bell and William Harvey's special whalebone rod. Many silver items are still used today for important college events. These include the President's staff and a special silver-gilt mace.
The college also has six amazing 17th-century anatomical tables. These were probably made by drying and putting real blood vessels and nerves from a human body onto wooden boards. Then they were varnished. They were used to teach about the human body because it was hard to get bodies for dissection back then.
The Symons Collection has many medical tools. It started with items people used for self-care long ago. It grew to include tools doctors used to treat patients, mostly in the 1700s and 1800s.
You can search for items in the collections online. The items on display are open to the public on weekdays. The Royal College of Physicians is part of the London Museums of Health & Medicine.
RCP Archives
The archive collections at the Royal College of Physicians go all the way back to 1518. They include the original royal paper from King Henry VIII that started the college. The college's activities are recorded in official notes and other documents from the 1500s to today.
There are also over 200 collections of personal papers. These show what life was like for doctors and patients over the last 500 years. Some of these items are from the 1200s and tell about the history of medicine and science in Europe.
In the 1800s, a Fellow named William Munk started collecting information about all the doctors who had worked with the college. After many years, he put these life stories into three books. These books were the start of a series called Munk's Roll. Newer books in the series focus on Fellows. Today, the series is online and is updated regularly. It has a life story for every past Fellow from 1518 until now.
The archives still collect new records. These show how doctors' jobs are changing. They even have recordings of doctors talking about their lives and careers. You can search the collections online and visit them by appointment.
The College Building
The Royal College of Physicians is located in St. Andrews Place, near the north end of Regent's Park. The college's old main building is now Canada House.
The current college building was designed by a famous architect named Sir Denys Lasdun. It opened in 1964. This building is very important and is a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important buildings from after World War II. Lasdun used concrete with mosaic tiles, which inspired many other public buildings.
One cool part of the building was a "Moving Wall." This wall weighed five tons (about 5,080 kg). It could be lifted 10 feet (3 meters) using hydraulics. This allowed a large hall to be made bigger or smaller.
Special Medical Groups (Faculties)
The Royal College of Physicians has five special groups called faculties. These groups help train doctors in specific areas of medicine. They include:
- The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine
- The Faculty for Pharmaceutical Medicine
- The Faculty of Occupational Medicine
- The Faculty of Public Health
- The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine
Forensic and Legal Medicine
The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM) started in 2006. It makes sure that doctors working in forensic and legal medicine are highly skilled and ethical. This field includes doctors who work with police, examine injuries, and help with legal cases. The FFLM also gives exams for these professionals.
Pharmaceutical Medicine
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) works to improve how medicines are developed and used. It makes sure that doctors working with medicines follow high standards. This helps keep the public safe.
Occupational Medicine
The Faculty of Occupational Medicine started in 1978. It is the main group for occupational medicine in the UK. This field focuses on keeping people healthy and safe at work. The FOM works to ensure the best standards in this area.
Public Health
The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) is a group for nearly 4,000 public health experts. These experts work to make communities and countries healthier. It is a joint faculty of the three royal colleges of physicians in the UK.
Sport and Exercise Medicine
The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) UK is the main group for sport and exercise medicine (SEM) in the UK. This field helps athletes and other people stay healthy and recover from injuries.
Special Talks (Lecture Series)
The college holds many important talks throughout the year.
One annual talk is called the Lumleian Lectures. These talks started in 1582 and were named after Lord Lumley. They used to be about surgery but now focus on medicine.
Once a year, usually on October 18th, a Fellow gives the Harveian Oration. This talk remembers William Harvey, a famous doctor. It also encourages doctors to keep experimenting and discovering new things.
Other yearly talks include the Bradshaw Lecture, the Croonian Lecture, the Goulstonian Lecture, the Fitzpatrick Lecture, and the Milroy Lectures.
Awards for Great Work
The RCP gives out special awards to doctors who do amazing work.
The Bisset Hawkins Medal is given every three years. It honors work that has improved public health or sanitation in the last ten years. The Baly Medal is given every two years. It recognizes someone who has done outstanding work in the science of how the body works (physiology).
See also
In Spanish: Royal College of Physicians para niños
- Alcohol Health Alliance UK
- List of presidents of the Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
