RCSI Heritage Collections

Continuing our deep dive into the history of the RCSI Biological Society (check out last month’s BioSoc post for LGBT+ History Month ), we’re flying the flag for the first women of BioSoc this International Women’s Day. The RCSI Biological Society (BioSoc) is the official student society of RCSI and one of the oldest student medical societies in the world.  Women have been consistently well-represented in successive BioSoc Committees since its inception in the 1930s. The Society appointed its first female President - Dr Margaret (Pearl) Dunleavy - in 1951. Two decades earlier, the opening paper presented at the first Inaugural Meeting in Feb 1932 – on a case of Henoch-Schonlein purpura - was read by a woman, Miss Johnson, prompting a formal note of thanks to be entered in the minutes 'for allowing a woman to read the first paper.' Miss Mary Teresa McQuaid presenting a paper titled ‘Polyserositis in a Young Male Child’ to assembled BioSoc attendees, 20 November 1947 Intellectual...

RCSI is committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. Today, more than seventy countries are represented across RCSI's student population, continuing a proud tradition of welcoming students from around the world that can be traced back to the early years of the College through the RCSI Roll of Licentiates. Once a graduate had completed their studies, passed exams, and received their licence, they were invited to enter their names in the RCSI Roll of Licentiates. From 1828, the Roll contains the full names as well as normal place of residence of all RCSI Licentiates. The vast majority of those early licentiates hailed from across Ireland, alongside a very small number of students from England, Scotland, and Wales. The first international licenciate to appear in the Roll was a William Boxwell Thompson from Madras (Chennai), India, on 6 August 1830. Over the following decades, students began to flock to RCSI from around the world. Check out the map ...

Gender is one of the core pillars of equality, diversity, and inclusion implementation at RCSI, with our dedicated EDI Unit spearheading various initiatives that promote equality between women and men and embrace the right of all individuals to be treated equally regardless of gender identity and gender expression. RCSI has had strong gender parity among medical graduates now for more than 20 years. Like the broader medical profession and other medical teaching and training establishments in Great Britain and Ireland, however, that parity has been a long time in the making.

From the 15-23 August, RCSI Library Heritage Collections is celebrating Heritage Week 2020: ‘Heritage and Education: Learning from our Heritage’ This year’s theme offers an opportunity to celebrate our centuries of educational heritage. The University is hosting online events throughout the week centred around the wonderful Women on Walls project, in which Heritage Collections was proud to be involved . You can learn more about these eight extraordinary women and the artists who painted them and listen to the podcast series. Here in Heritage Collections, we have an all ages, 4-page printable activity pack for you to download and print out at home, as many times as you like. You can colour in some of our 'Women on Walls' portraits, draw some inspirational portraits of your own and even help sort out some of our collections for us! Dr Mary Josephine Hannan by Celeste, aged 2 We would love to see your work! Share with us on Twitter or by Email .