The latest edition of Commentary celebrates 60 years of the RCP’s membership magazine, explores sports medicine and obstetric training, and examines health inequalities and justice-based medicine.
In 1966 and all that, Harveian librarian Professor Anita Simonds marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London, now Clinical Medicine, and Commentary. The membership magazine started life as an insert on RCP events in the new journal, but has evolved so much since then!
The article looks back at RCP life in 1966, alongside developments in the NHS and health policy and the concerns facing medicine and medical training at the time – examining why that was the year that the RCP decided to launch its first journal.
From emergency medicine to elite rugby
The edition also features an interview with Dr Lewis Jones, an emergency department consultant in Exeter who became a team doctor for the Red Roses, England’s women’s rugby union team, in 2022.
Speaking to Commentary clinical editor, Professor Ollie Minton, Lewis reflects on sports medicine, changing direction later in a medical career and supporting the Red Roses during their Women’s Rugby World Cup victory last year.
‘All physicians have skill sets that are hugely transferable. People should never feel trapped. Even later in life, you can still change direction; I was 50 when I got the Red Roses role.’
Health inequalities
Paediatrician, researcher and broadcaster Dr Guddi Singh asks: What kind of doctor does this moment require?
Her feature, and accompanying podcast, argues that good clinical practice must begin with an understanding of the wider world that makes patients ill.
The RCP education fellow, Dr Alice Cole, also reflects on inequalities in maternal care – and why training on this topic is so vital in a feature celebrating 5 years of the RCP diploma in obstetric medicine.
Connecting physicians around the world
Dr Laith Al-Rubaiy reports on the second Global Update in medicine 2026, describing how the programme responded to geopolitical conflict while continuing to provide medical education and connect physicians.
‘By working together, we demonstrated that high-quality medical education can continue to thrive, despite changing circumstances.’
More from this edition
Other highlights include:
- Patient voices: a new exhibition opens at RCP Regent’s Park
- Teale essay prize 2026: the future of general internal medicine training
Readers can also find the latest editor’s column, president’s column and RCP news.
Read the latest edition of Commentary and explore all the articles.
*Top image credit: England Rugby