Chapter 3- Student Organizations, Pp

Thomas Jefferson University Jefferson Digital Commons Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College Jefferson History and Publications March 2009 Chapter 3- Student Organizations, pp. 93-118 Follow this and additional works at: https://jdc.jefferson.edu/savacool Part of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Recommended Citation "Chapter 3- Student Organizations, pp. 93-118" (2009). Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College. Paper 4. https://jdc.jefferson.edu/savacool/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Jefferson Digital Commons. The Jefferson Digital Commons is a service of Thomas Jefferson University's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The Commons is a showcase for Jefferson books and journals, peer-reviewed scholarly publications, unique historical collections from the University archives, and teaching tools. The Jefferson Digital Commons allows researchers and interested readers anywhere in the world to learn about and keep up to date with Jefferson scholarship. This article has been accepted for inclusion in Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College by an authorized administrator of the Jefferson Digital Commons. For more information, please contact: [email protected]. Jefferson Medical College Student ===~ Organizations Student Medical Societies by Colin M. Roberts OMC, '95) In the 1930Clinic Professor HobartA. Hare wrote larity and usefulness is indicative of their value. a history of student societies at Jefferson. The be The exis tence of these groups has helped materi loved Professor of Therapeutics was nearing the ally in producing a sense of so lidarity among the end of a 4O-year career at the College. In the firs t members of the various classes. In the formeryears yea r of his tenure, 1891, he had helped begin the a student might pass through the cou rse and first of what would bea long and vibrant tradition graduate, without having any intimate associa tion of studentactivity. His well written account, which with more than oneor two others and thereby was follows, reflects his serio us interest in student life. deprived of that attractive aspect of student life "In the Fall of 1891, w hen there was little op called cama raderie. Often such friendships last portunity for students at the Jeffe rson Medical through life and recall student days with pleasant College to mee t together, except in the lecture memories. It is to be hoped tha t thecustom ofhav rooms, and long before any student fraternities ing these student soci eties may continue for it we re founded among Jefferson students, Dr. brings the members of the Faculty and the student Hobart A. Ha re suggested that a n undergrad members int o closer association." uat e medical society might be fanned. Th e object By 1930, Dr. Hare had lived to see his efforts to was to provideopportunity to discuss med ical and prom ote "camaraderie" swell from an initial two surgical topics in order that the members might in 1891 to nearly twenty student societies, with 11 8 have the training of debating various to pics, of the 140 graduating seniors of that year claiming thereby preparing them for en tering actively into mem bership in at least one. the proceedings of organizations which they migh t From the charte r cha pters of the Hare Medical join after grad ua tion. Society and the W.W. Keen Surgical Society (Fig "Dr. Hare asked Dr. E. Quinn Thornton to get ure 2), groups sprang up around nearly every together a limited group of students whom he medical department of student interest and facul ty thought would be eligible as "founders," and this expertise. The majority claimed a "patron saint" group w hen it met became the first undergradu among the facu lty who, in lending his sponsorship ate student body in the institu tion (Figure O. The to the SOCiety, claimed righ ts to preside over an idea at once appealed to the studen ts of the Col annua l banquet, the culmination of a successful lege in general, and aftera few weeks during which year of meetings, smokers and speeches. At the advantages of the plan became more obvious, monthly gatherings, the student members would a second organization took place to w hich was at convene to present papers to each other, review tached the name of Prof. W. W. Keen, then in the events in the field , discuss recent lectures by the full flow er of his notable career. facu lty of their favored d epartment, and , on spe "These were the only societies founded in 1891, cial occasions, hear invited guests from the medi but many groups have come into existence since cal world present work, discuss techniqu es, and tha t time. Sometimes the death, or the resignation offer advice for aspiring resid ents (Figure 3). of the individual whose name was attached to that Student societies grew and changed with the of a Society has resulted in a change of title, or new college through the 20th century. As Hare men societies have been formed under the patronage tions, old societies changed their names to honor of newly elected mem bers of the Faculty. new facu lty sponsors as departments changed 'The fact that so manygroups have been formed chairsand faculty physicians died or retired. Simi and that theorganiza tions have increased in popu- larly, new societies emerged as new departments Legend and Lore 94 fig. 1. Founding members of Jefferson's firsl studt'fll society, the 1892 Hare Medical Society. Dr. Hare, wa led at ceetee, was 29 yean of age when the group formed. Fig. 2. The founding members of the W.W. Keen Surgical Society, assnnbled with their patron (in lop hal) on the steps of SI. Luke and the Epiphany, 1892. John Chalmers DaCosta is at fronl, far left. Student Organleetlons 9S Fig. J . 1M 1895·96 cha pter of the lames C. Wilson Med ical importance, the longevity of this tradition betrays Society. 1M gl'(MJ p, which E'xisted from 1892 10 1921, is pic the social appeal of the societies. What better way tured here with dislinguished gunl Sir William Osler. to break from the Promethean task of one's stud and specialties evolved. A variety of societies also ies than to sto p in at a gathering, fonnal or infor formed to coordinate other aspects of student life, mal. with bot h friends and faculty, and to pursue and explore areas aside from purely medical mat "that attractive aspect of student life" set into mo ters. Students formed religious groups, history tion by Professor Hare some 100 years before. groups, ethnic socie ties, and a number of forums for the discussion of medical ethics and the con sideration of the cha nging role of the physician in The H.A. Hare Medical Society society. Lastly, a few unique societies stated clearly While Hare menti ons in his essay that student in their cha rter constitutions that they existed solely societies changed names and functions as the as to honor their members as students and scholars, sodated faculty and fields evolved , it is of no sur and to celebrate in order that "the lighter side of prise that the oldest society of all, the one orga life should not be completely subjugated to the rig nized in his name, hold s unchanged its original ors of a medical education." title and focus (Fig. 4). The 1991 / 92 roster of student societies cites over On October 16, 1891, seniors of the class of 1892 30 active groups. The interests and issues repre met in Professor Hare's office to form a society sented reflect both diversity of the student body, which would be "the standa rd for whatever will and the enthusiasm of the undergraduates to ex bes t ad vance the interes t of its members and pro plore, even in the first few years, areas of medi mote the welfare of 'Old Jeff'." The group would cine beyond the basic curriculum. Perhapsofequa l be limited to 40 members of the junior and senior Legend and Lo re 96 classes. Students would write papers on any topic of interest which they felt to be of importance to future physicians, yet outside thebasic curriculum they regularly shared. The writers would then present these papers to the group in hopes that the ordeal of public delivery (and ensuing "peer re ~ view") would be excellent practical experience, EDiCAl SOCI eJY helping bookworms to better approach the future clinical demands of their calling. In lieu of such presentations, efforts would be made to obtain outside speakers, physicians, professors, and other social notables to address the group and answe r questions. They agreed to meet on the second Tues day of each month in what was to become the "society room " of the Old College on 10th and Sansom, with an informal smoker following each night's main event. The Hare society flouris hed, boasting a full ros terthrough the year of Dr. Hare's death in 1931. In HOTE.L.8. ..o ... the subsequent restructuring of the undergradu oeoe ber tr.l 'tO~ ate curriculum, the course work of Dr. Hare's materia medica was incorporated into that of the new department of Pharmacology. Topics Hare had covered in Therapeutics were converted into a clinical program taught in the second two years Fig. 4. L ~.It her bound, hand paintt'd progrilm from 1M- 1902 by Professor Elmer H. Funk (JMC, 'OS) and it was banqeet of the Har~ Soc i~ ly. Ihe evening's speakers included 5 t ud~n l member.lOO future Dean Ross V.

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