Royal College of Physicians facts for kids
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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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Sarah Clarke |
| 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 (RCP), is a group for doctors in Britain. It helps make medicine better, mainly by checking if doctors are good enough through exams. King Henry VIII started the RCP in 1518. This makes it the oldest medical college in England.
The RCP's main building in Regent's Park is very special. It is one of the few newer buildings to be given a Grade I listing. In 2016, the RCP decided to open a new office in Liverpool. This new place, called The Spine, opened in May 2021.
Contents
Discovering the RCP's History
The college got its official start in 1518. It was given a special paper called a royal charter by the King. This charter allowed it to be called "the President and College or Commonalty of the Faculty of Physic in London." An Act of Parliament in 1523 made this even stronger.
It's not clear when the name "Royal College of Physicians of London" was first used. But it became common after 1663. This name was made official by a law in 1960. This law also allowed the college to move its main building to Regent's Park.
The college was first located in three different places near St Paul's Cathedral in London. Later, it moved to Pall Mall East, near Trafalgar Square. Finally, it moved to its current home in Regent's Park.
The first librarian for the college was Christopher Merret. He was a fellow of the college and a friend of William Harvey. In 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed many rooms and most of the books. The college tried to end Merret's job, but he fought them in court. He eventually lost and had to leave.
In the late 1600s, the college started checking medical books. It also set new rules for learning through its own exams. The college still gives exams today. This is how many people know about the college.
The Royal College of Physicians celebrated its 500th birthday in 2018.
Becoming a Member or Fellow
Joining the RCP: Membership Levels
Doctors who pass special exams can use the letters MRCP(UK) after their name. These exams are given by all the UK Royal Colleges of Physicians together. If you pass, you can become a "Collegiate Member" of the London College. You can also join the other two UK colleges.
There is also "Affiliate membership" for senior doctors who don't have the MRCP(UK). Both Collegiate Members and Affiliate Members can later become Fellows of the college.
The college also has other types of members. These include associate members, medical students, and new doctors.
Achieving Fellowship: FRCP
Doctors who become Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians use the letters FRCP after their name. Most Fellows are chosen from the general members. Some are also chosen from special medical fields. These include Occupational Medicine, Pharmaceutical Medicine, and Forensic and Legal Medicine.
Some Fellows are chosen because they are medical experts from other countries. Others are chosen as an honor, like important people or members of the Royal Family.
The Royal College of Physicians has published books called Munk's Roll. These books contain life stories of the Fellows.
Exploring the RCP Library
The library helps members, students, and staff find information. Its special collections can also be used by the public for research. The library has books on many topics, including:
- history of medicine
- family history (genealogy)
- health and social rules
- medical education
Rare and Special Book Collections
The Royal College of Physicians has had a library since it started in 1518. However, most of the first books were lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The rare books and special collections cover many different topics. They show what earlier Fellows liked to collect. They also show the wide range of knowledge doctors needed. You can usually see these rare books by making an appointment.
The books and journals, both old and new, show how medicine has changed. Some special items include:
- About 130 books printed before 1502. These include some of the first printed medical texts from ancient Greek, Roman, and Arabic doctors.
- Books that belonged to John Dee, a famous astrologer from the Elizabethan era. He even wrote notes in them!
- About 3,000 books from before 1688 in the Dorchester collection. These cover subjects like buildings, science, and travel.
- Over 4,500 short writings from the 1600s to 1800s. They cover many medical and science topics.
- The Evan Bedford collection, which has almost every important book on the history of heart medicine up to 1970.
The 20th-century collection also has interesting items:
- Books about the history of the RCP's special medical fields.
- Life stories of Fellows and important people in medicine.
- Books about how the National Health Service (NHS) started and its ongoing history.
- Books about the history of hospitals in the UK.
- Books about medical rules and the role of doctors.
- Every item the RCP has ever published, like reports and pamphlets.
The college often displays books from its collections in special exhibitions.
Discovering the Museum Collections
The museum collections at the Royal College of Physicians tell the story of the college and the history of doctors. They help us understand how medicine and healthcare have grown. The collections include: paintings, silver items, medical tools, and old anatomical models.
The collection has about 250 portraits. These are paintings and sculptures of presidents, Fellows, and other doctors linked to the college since 1518. It includes works by famous artists. For example, there's a sculpture of Baldwin Hamey the Younger by Edward Pierce.
The silver collection has few items from before the Great Fire of London in 1666. This is because of a robbery the year before. But some pieces survived, like Baldwin Hamey's inkstand bell. William Harvey's special whalebone rod, tipped with silver, also survived. Many silver pieces are still used today for formal events at the college. Special items include the President's staff and the silver-gilt College mace.
The college also has six 17th-century anatomical tables. These were probably made by drying and putting real blood vessels and nerves onto wooden blocks. Then they were varnished. They were used to teach anatomy because it was hard to get bodies for dissection back then.
The Symons Collection of medical tools is on display in the college building. It started with items for self-care from the 1700s. 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 from Monday to Friday. The Royal College of Physicians is part of the London Museums of Health & Medicine.
Exploring the Archives
The archive collections go back to when the Royal College of Physicians started in 1518. They include the original royal charter given by King Henry VIII. The college's activities are recorded in official notes and other papers from the 1500s to today.
Over 200 collections of personal papers show the experiences of doctors and patients over the last 500 years. These collections include items from the 1200s. They tell about the history of medicine and science in Europe.
In the 1800s, William Munk, a Fellow interested in doctors' life stories, started collecting information. He gathered details about all the doctors who had been licensed or became members of the college. After many years, his research was put into three books. These books, published between 1861 and 1878, were the start of a series called Munk's Roll. Later books focused on Fellows. Now, the series is online and is updated regularly. It has a life story for every past Fellow from 1518 to today.
The archive still collects records that show how doctors' roles have changed. This includes spoken recordings of doctors talking about their lives and careers. You can search the collections online. They are open to the public by appointment. You can listen to the "Voices of medicine" recordings through the library's online catalog.
The RCP's Modern Building
The college is located in St. Andrews Place, at the north end of Regent's Park. The college's old building, near Trafalgar Square, is now Canada House. Before that, the college had other locations in the City of London.
The current college building was designed by architect Sir Denys Lasdun. It opened in 1964. This building is very important. It is a Grade I listed building, which is rare for a building built after World War II. Lasdun used mosaic-covered concrete, which influenced many later public buildings. A cool part of the building was a 'Moving Wall'. It weighed five tons and could be lifted by hydraulics. This allowed a large hall to be made bigger or smaller.
Specialized Medical Faculties
The Royal College of Physicians has six training groups called faculties. These include: Forensic and Legal Medicine, Pharmaceutical Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Public Health, Sport and Exercise Medicine, and Physician Associates.
Forensic and Legal Medicine
The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM) started in 2006. It works to make sure forensic and legal medicine is practiced at the highest level. This field includes doctors, nurses, and paramedics who work with legal cases. It also includes medical advisors and coroners. The FFLM gives exams for professionals in this field. It is the main group for advice on education and public interest in forensic and legal medicine.
Pharmaceutical Medicine
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) works with the royal colleges of physicians in the UK (Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London). Its goal is to improve the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine. This means making sure doctors in this field are skilled, ethical, and professional. This helps the public.
Occupational Medicine
The Faculty of Occupational Medicine started in 1978. It is the main group for occupational medicine in the UK. It works to ensure the best standards in this field. Occupational medicine focuses on health and safety at work.
Public Health
The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) is a joint group of the three UK royal colleges of physicians (London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow). It has nearly 4,000 public health professionals. Its job is to make local communities and national populations healthier.
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. It is a joint faculty of the RCP and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Physician Associates
The Faculty of Physician Associates started in 2015. It was a team effort between the RCP and the UK Association of Physician Associates (UKAPA). This Faculty is the professional group for physician associates in the UK. It sets rules for their education and training. It also publishes their national curriculum and runs their national exams. It keeps a list of physician associates.
In March 2024, the RCP held a special meeting. They discussed the role of physician associates and how they should be regulated.
Important Lectures and Speeches
The college holds a yearly lecture called the Lumleian Lectures. These lectures are named after Lord Lumley. They were started in 1582 by Richard Caldwell, a past president of the college. The lectures were first about surgery, but later changed to medicine. The first lecture was given by Richard Forster. These lectures still happen today.
Once a year, usually on October 18th, a Fellow gives the Harveian Oration. This speech honors William Harvey. The speech thanks the college's founders and supporters. It also encourages members to try new things in medicine.
Other yearly lectures include the Bradshaw Lecture, the Croonian Lecture, the Goulstonian Lecture, the Fitzpatrick Lecture, and the Milroy Lectures.
Special Awards
The Bisset Hawkins Medal is given every three years. It started in 1899 to honor Francis Bisset Hawkins. This award recognizes work that has improved public health in the past ten years. The Baly Medal is given every two years. It started in 1866 to remember William Baly. This award gives a gold medal to the person who has done the most in the science of how the body works (physiology).
See also
In Spanish: Royal College of Physicians para niños
- List of presidents of the Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
