Royal College of Physicians

Royal College of Physicians is a British professional body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded in 1518, it set the first international standard in the classification of diseases, and its library contains medical texts of great historical interest.

The college hosts four training faculties: the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and the Faculty of Public Health.

History

The Royal College of Physicians was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians (it became the Royal College of Physicians when it was granted a royal charter in 1674), by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518. It was the first institution of its kind in England.

Functions

The college has several functions, including:

• Setting standards and promoting excellence in healthcare and professional standards in medicine
• Overseeing postgraduate medical education and training
• Conducting exams
• Supporting doctors in their practice of medicine
• Advising the government on medical and public health matters

Notable members

Several notable members of the Royal College of Physicians include:

• William Harvey, who discovered the circulation of the blood
• Thomas Browne, a noted 17th-century physician
• Richard Mead, a physician who played a major role in establishing the Foundling Hospital
• Thomas Sydenham, known as 'the English Hippocrates'

See also

• List of Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians
• List of Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians
• Medical education in the United Kingdom
• History of medicine

External links

• Official website