Two hundred and fifty years ago, the US declared independence, fighting to win an imperfect freedom from Great Britain’s tyranny. The fight extended beyond military engagements, with Americans struggling against disease and trauma. As on the battlefield, they met both success and failure. Landmark events like George Washington’s mandatory inoculation order and John Jones’ first surgical textbook in the country contrasted with the fact that 90% of American losses resulted from disease. Throughout, the health of both the troops and the civilian community affected the military strategy and political happenings that eventually resulted in British defeat.
As America celebrates its semiquincentennial, universities, museums, hospitals, and medical centers are honoring the occasion with events – and often asking for assistance from AAHM membership. This workshop gathers an array of professional perspectives on the subject to discuss not just what happened but more importantly ways to research and represent this past critically. Discussion will focus on how to convey these stories to students, doctors, and the lay public that not only inspires but also leads to thoughtful contemplation of the constant interplay among medicine, war, and society.
Historian Erica Charters brings her expertise on disease in warfare to showcase placing these events in a global context, bringing particular insight into relevant archives. Judy Chelnick, former curator at the Smithsonian American History Museum, will explore preparing exhibitions, large and small, showcasing how to utilize artifacts with minimal words to tell a story. Trauma surgeon Jeremy Cannon utilizes medicine in the Philadelphia campaign to demonstrate how to work with local history and engage medical students and hospitals in these projects. Surgeon Per-olaf Hasselgren builds on his biographical work to showcase the utility of exploring a topic through the lives of its actors. Clinician-historian David Jones discusses his success in transforming academic research into broadly appealing stories featured in the
New England Journal of Medicine. Scott Podolsky speaks in his triptych role as a physician, historian, and Director of Countway Library’s Center for the History of Medicine, emphasizing how medical repositories can help researchers, students, physicians, and the lay public alike explore this exciting topic.
Chair email:
[email protected]Learning Outcomes- By the end of this activity, the learner will develop the capacity for critical thinking about the nature, ends and limits of medicine.
- By the end of this activity, the learner will deepen understanding of illness and suffering
- By the end of this activity will identify successes and failures in the history of medical professionalism
- By the end of this activity will understand the dynamic history of medical ideas and practices, their implications for patients and health care providers, and the need for lifelong learning
The Roosevelt Room is on the 2nd Floor of the Genesee Building.From the guest elevators on the Lobby Level: Turn left before reaching the main staircase. Continue left through the Genesee Building façade toward the Fitness Center. Take either the elevator or the spiral staircase to the 2nd Floor.The Roosevelt Room is located above the Citizens Banks Freestanding directional signs will be posted throughout the route.
