'Women in medicine: a celebration’ is a free exhibition of specially commissioned photographic portraits honouring contemporary and historical women in medicine. It showcases a number of today’s leading female clinicians, pictured with the women from the history of medicine who have inspired them.
The exhibition is the result of a project, coordinated by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), that brings together the leading medical bodies in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The timing is also significant as 2017 is the centenary of the Medical Women’s Federation, and is also the first time in history that the majority of the world-renowned medical royal colleges have been led by women.
Each institution has nominated a modern day doctor to represent their specialism or area of practice, who in turn pays tribute to a remarkable woman who went before them.
Each institution has nominated a modern day doctor to represent their specialism or area of practice, who in turn pays tribute to a remarkable woman who went before them.
Among the historical women featured are internationally acclaimed individuals such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Britain’s first formally qualified and recognised female doctor; Dame Sheila Sherlock, the prime mover in the establishment of liver disease as a specialty; and Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern hospice movement.
The present day is represented by past and current presidents of the royal colleges of physicians, surgeons, general practitioners, obstetricians and gynaecologists, pathologists and paediatrics, and child health. They are joined by new photographs of many other pre-eminent female figures from medical fields as diverse as academic publishing and public health, radiology and ophthalmology, anaesthesia and education.
With regret Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick passed away on Monday 21 August 2017. Professor Jane Dacre pays tribute to the first female president of the Royal College of Physicians.
Visiting
- Opening times: Monday–Friday only, 9am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Opening times can vary - please check our visiting page for closure days before your visit.
- Full accessibility information
- Contact us: email history@rcplondon.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 3075 1543.
- Special event: Exhibition private view and lecture - reserve your place
- Women In Medicine tours: Take a special exhibition tour and join a walk on the history of women in medicine with our guiding partners Discover Medical London.