Welcome to the latest edition of Commentary. We’re drawing closer to the end of the year, but there is still plenty of work happening across the RCP and lots to look forward to in the next few months.
I’ve recently had the pleasure of meeting many of you as part of our Meet your president sessions. Being able to connect with and hear from members and fellows is always a pleasure, and it is a wonderful way to hear your voices, which are central to the future of the RCP.
While it is always lovely to meet in person, having the technology to connect physicians across the world opens up fantastic new opportunities. Dr Laith Al-Rubaiy shares his experience of taking the 2nd Global Update in medicine online earlier this year, and discusses planning for 2027.
We recently celebrated the 5-year anniversary of the Diploma in Obstetric Medicine, which Dr Alice Cole, our RCP clinical education fellow, reflects on in this edition.
Paediatrician, researcher and broadcaster Dr Guddi Singh has contributed both an article and a podcast episode, discussing health inequality and why, as physicians, we need to understand the world that is making our patients ill. Her words reflect one of the RCP’s key priorities to tackle the wider determinants of health.
The approach of autumn also means a new exhibition from the RCP Museum team. This year, they have worked with a patient steering group to put together ‘Patient voices: power, truth, understanding’, which explores what it has meant to be a patient throughout history – and how patients have represented themselves across 4 centuries. I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the exhibition – it was a lovely evening celebrating the history of the patients’ voices, with some powerful and moving stories.
Our Harveian librarian, Dr Anita Simonds, reflects on a smaller swathe of history: 1966. It was fantastic to read about the college 60 years ago, and to celebrate the 60-year anniversary of the RCP journal ClinMed, and this very membership magazine! I hope you all enjoy reading this latest edition of Commentary in its diamond anniversary year – and look forward to all the wonderful editions to come!
Thank you to all our contributors to this edition and our Commentary team.
Wishing you all the best,
Mumtaz.
Professor Mumtaz Patel
President
