Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Abbreviation RCPSG
Motto Conjurat amice; Non vivere sed valere vita
Established 1599
Founder Peter Lowe
Location
  • Glasgow
Coordinates 55°51′45″N 4°15′48″W / 55.86241°N 4.263446°W / 55.86241; -4.263446Coordinates: 55°51′45″N 4°15′48″W / 55.86241°N 4.263446°W / 55.86241; -4.263446
President
 Professor David Galloway
Website www.rcpsg.ac.uk

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, is an institute of physicians and surgeons in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 232-242 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland

Founded by Peter Lowe after receiving a royal charter by James VI in 1599, as the Glasgow Faculty, it originally existed as a regulatory authority to ensure that physicians, surgeons and dentists In the West of Scotland were appropriately trained and regulated. In 1909, it achieved Royal recognition and became the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RFPSG). In 1962, following agreement with the other medical and surgical Royal Colleges in the UK it achieved collegiate status as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG), by which name it is known today.[1]

The College, in combination with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh provided a primary medical qualification which entitled the bearer to practice medicine, and was registrable with the General Medical Council as a primary medical qualification as a part of the "Scottish Triple Conjoint Diploma" (LRCP (Edinburgh), LRCS (Edinburgh), LRCPSG). From 1994, until the abolition of non-university qualifying examinations in 1999, this was offered through the United Examining Board. Until 1948 the Faculty (as it then was) provided dental education via the Glasgow Dental School awarding the qualification of LDS RFPSG. Since 1948 training in dentistry has been provided by the University of Glasgow who award the BDS degree.

The College is now concerned with postgraduate medical education, offering examinations that lead to Membership and Fellowship to appropriately qualified physicians, surgeons, dental surgeons and podiatrists. They also offer a number of specialist postgraduate diplomas to medical practitioners in various subjects including dermatology, child health, geriatric medicine, travel health, ophthalmology, and dentistry.

History

The College was founded in 1599, by a Royal Charter from King James VI of Scotland.[2] The Charter was granted to Peter Lowe, a surgeon who trained in France, and author of The Whole Course of Chirurgerie (1597), and Robert Hamilton, a Scottish physician. The Charter also mentions by name the apothecary William Spang, who was granted the power to inspect and regulate the sale of drugs in the town.[3] The College originally had no corporate name but became known as the Facultie (1629), then the Facultie of Chyrurgeons and Physitians (1654). By the end of the 17th century the name was established as the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Powers were granted to examine and regulate surgical practice in the baronies of Glasgow, Renfrew and Dumbarton, and the districts or sheriffdoms of Clydesdale, Renfrew, Lanark, Kyle, Carrick, Ayr and Cunningham. Physicians were admitted on production of their MD diploma.[4]

The Faculty was incorporated with the Town Council to gain burgh privileges in 1656, and purchased a property on the Trongate in 1697. This was demolished and a purpose-built Faculty Hall was erected on the site in 1698. The Faculty Library was also founded in 1698. In 1791, the Faculty moved to a new hall in St Enoch Square and in 1862 to their current property on St. Vincent Street. In 1909, the Faculty was allowed to add the prefix "Royal" to its name; and in 1962 the name was again changed to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow to bring it into line with its sister corporations.[5]

The Faculty was unique in that it included the professions of barber and apothecary in addition to those of surgeon and physician. In 1656 the surgeons and barbers jointly received a Letter of Deaconry from the Town Council, establishing them as a craft or trade, with representation in the Trades House. However, relations between the barbers and the surgeons deteriorated later the 17th century, until in 1722 they split and the Letter of Deaconry became null and void. The barbers received money to the value of their share in the Faculty Hall in the Trongate and a new, separate Letter of Deaconry from the Town Council.[6]

The Faculty defended its right to be the only body in Glasgow responsible for training and maintaining standards against the claims of the University of Glasgow. This resulted in extensive litigation in the early 19th century over the status of surgical degrees, which was eventually settled in the Faculty’s favour. The Faculty offered a Licence for surgeons from 1785 which served as a basic medical qualification. The Double Qualification in medicine and surgery, established with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, was instituted in 1859 and was replaced by the Triple Qualification in 1884. This was a joint medical qualification between all three Scottish medical colleges. At the end of World War II the Goodenough Committee recommended that a medical degree be the sine qua non of entry to the medical profession. From that time onward the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow has concentrated on postgraduate training, professional development and examinations.[5]

Qualifications awarded

The reason the post-nominal letters for the fellowships use "FRCP(G)" and "FRCS(G)" rather than something like "FRCPS(G)-P" and "FRCPS(G)-S" is that they are parallel in form with all other similar fellowship designations for physicians and surgeons, such as FRCP(E)/FRCS(E), FRCP(I)/FRCS(I), FRCP(Lon)/FRCS(Eng). The same is true for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, which grants the FRCP(C) and FRCS(C) fellowships.

Princess Alexandra's Room, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Scotland
The College Hall, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Scotland

See also

References

  1. ↑ BMJ review of two books on the history of the RCPSG
  2. ↑ Goodall, Archibald L. (1 June 1960). "Glasgow Medicine’s 360 years". The Glasgow Herald. p. 8. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow". rcpsg.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Geyer-Kordesch, J.; Mcdonald, F. (1999). Physicians and surgeons of Glasgow: the history of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1599 – 1858. London: The Hambledon Press. ISBN 9781852851866.
  5. 1 2 Hull, A.; Geyer-Kordesch, J. (1999). The shaping of the medical profession : the history of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1858-1999. London: The Hambledon Press. ISBN 9781852851873.
  6. ↑ Duncan, Alexander (1896). Memorials of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow 1599-1850: with a sketch of the rise and progress of the Glasgow Medical School and of the medical profession in the west of Scotland. Glasgow: James Maclehose. Retrieved 21 December 2016.

Sources

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