Regius Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics facts for kids
The Regius Chair of Medicine and Therapeutics is a very old and important teaching position at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Think of a "chair" as a special job for a top professor who leads a certain area of study. This particular chair was created in 1989.
It was formed by joining two even older teaching positions: the Regius Chair of the Practice of Medicine (which started way back in 1637) and the Regius Chair of Materia Medica (which began in 1831). So far, two professors have held this combined position. The first was Professor John Reid, and since 2010, Professor Anna Felicja Dominiczak has held the post. She is the first woman to ever have this job!
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What is a Regius Chair?
A "Regius Chair" is a special kind of professorship that was originally created or supported by the King or Queen. "Regius" comes from the Latin word for "royal." This means these positions have a long and important history, often linked directly to the British monarchy. It shows how important the study of medicine was considered, even centuries ago.
A Long History of Medical Teaching
The Regius Chair of Medicine and Therapeutics has a rich past, built on the foundations of two separate, very old teaching roles. These roles helped shape how doctors were trained and how new medicines were understood in Scotland for hundreds of years.
The Practice of Medicine Chair
This teaching position started in 1637. After a short break, it was brought back in 1712. Then, in 1713, Queen Anne officially supported it, making it a "Regius" Chair. This meant it had royal backing and was a very prestigious role for teaching doctors.
Many important medical figures held this chair over the centuries. They taught students how to diagnose and treat illnesses, which was the "practice of medicine."
- William Cullen MD (1751)
- Joseph Black MD (1757)
- Sir William Tennant Gairdner KCB MD LLD FRS (1862)
- Sir Edward Johnson Wayne MSc MD PhD (1953)
- Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg KB MD DSc FRCP FRSE (1978–1989)
The Materia Medica Chair
The Regius Chair of Materia Medica was created in 1831 by King William IV. "Materia Medica" is an old term for the study of medicines and how they affect the body. Before it became a full "Regius Chair," it was a lectureship (a teaching role) that started in 1766.
Professors in this role focused on understanding different substances used as medicines, where they came from, and how to use them safely and effectively.
- Matthew Charteris FRSE (1880)
- Ralph Stockman (1897)
- Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg (1970)
- John Low Reid (1978)
Modern Medicine and Therapeutics
In 1989, the two historic chairs – the Practice of Medicine and Materia Medica – were combined to form the current Regius Chair of Medicine and Therapeutics. This merger brought together the study of treating patients with the science of medicines.
- John Low Reid BD DM FRCP FRSE FMedSci (1989–2010)
* Professor John Reid was the first person to hold this new combined chair. He had previously been the Regius Professor of Materia Medica.
- Anna Felicja Dominiczak, OBE, FRCP, FRSE, FAHA, FMedSci (2010-)
* Professor Anna Dominiczak took over in 2010. She made history by becoming the first woman to hold this very important and ancient position.
