RCSI Bahrain concluded its ‘History of Medicine Talks’ series of nine webinars, which commenced in February, to survey the development of the medical field across the ages and its influence on present-day medical practice. Hosted by Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at RCSI Bahrain, Professor Martin Corbally, the aim of the webinar series was to emphasise the important lessons to be learned across centuries, the need to constantly question the current status quo and embrace change as an inevitable aspect of the evolution of medicine and surgical practices.

Professor Corbally commented, “The History of Medicine webinar series informed us not just of the skills and dedication of our predecessors, but also their persistence in the pursuit of solutions. Therefore, we must appreciate the countless doctors, nurses and patients over the many thousands of years who have helped forge medicine as we know it today. The webinar also highlighted how science contributes to our understanding of medical practice 200 years ago and I would hope, develop resilience, empathetic skills and remind our students to persevere when faced with challenges.”

The series delivered by RCSI Bahrain faculty and experts from different medical specialties explored a range of topics in the fields of surgery, anatomy, obstetrics and gynaecology and pathology through different time periods. All webinars were open to healthcare practitioners and ended with a question-and-answer session. The series included a variety of themes such as ‘Women: Their Fall and Rise’ presented by the late Professor Jim Dornan, Former Chair and Professor, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RCSI Bahrain and ‘Anatomical Dissection and the History of Anatomy’ delivered by Chair and Professor, Department of Medicine at RCSI Bahrain, Professor John Flood. In addition to, ‘What can we learn about disease in ancient times from Paleopathology’, presented by Associate Professor in Surgery, Department of Medicine, RCSI Bahrain, Professor Thomas Walsh, ‘Medicine and the Holocaust’, by Lecturer in Healthcare Ethics, RCSI Bahrain, Dr Fionnuala Gough, ‘Another Unprecedented Epidemic?: The Irish influence on the 1832 Cholera Epidemic’ by Consultant Paediatrician, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH), Dr Gabriel Fox.

The final webinar of the series was moderated by His Excellency Dr Faisal AlMousawi, Former RCSI Bahrain President, Former Minister of Health and Speaker of the Shura Council, Kingdom of Bahrain and featured the topic of ‘The History of Medicine in the Arab World’, presented by Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, (KHUH), Dr Mohamed Amin Al Awadhi.

President of RCSI Bahrain, Professor Sameer Otoom commented, “The History of Medicine webinar series, the first of its kind in RCSI Bahrain, provided an opportunity for our students and healthcare professionals to understand and explore the changes that have occurred in the field of medicine across the centuries. We are currently living and navigating through a challenging period in medicine, one that will one day become history. Therefore, it’s crucial for our students to learn from the experiences and challenges of their predecessors to help guide them as future healthcare leaders.”

The History of Medicine webinar series recordings are available on the RCSI Bahrain website for public view.

Dedicated solely to healthcare education, RCSI Bahrain aims to enhance human health in Bahrain and beyond through endeavour, innovation and collaboration.