Robert Campbell correspondence

Collection

Identifier: CPP 2/011

Scope and Contents

This collection contains a small amount of Robert Campbells’s correspondence, 2006-2007, from his tenure as President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

The bulk of the correspondence concerns attendance at College Night and other College-sponsored events, and acknowledgements of gifts and contributions.

This collection was discovered during a survey in the summer and fall of 2015. It was processed in the winter of 2020.

Dates

2006-2008

Creator

College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Office of the President (Organization)

Office of the President history

The Office of the President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is first described in the 1787 constitution. The constitution states that the President “shall have power to call extraordinary Meetings whenever important, or unexpected Business shall require, of which he shall be the Judge;” the constitution also states that the president was authorized to call a special session when requested by at least six Fellows. According to the 1834 by-laws, the president was responsible for presiding at College meetings and signing orders from the treasurer, but he could not discuss any questions while in the chair except when necessary to come to a decision. This latter regulation was dropped from the 1863 by-laws, and new responsibilities were added in 1882, when the president was given “general supervision of the affairs of the College” and was required to present an annual address.

In 1886, due to the influence of president S. Weir Mitchell, the by-laws were again amended. Mitchell secured the right to be informed of all committee meetings and to attend them if he wished, Another of Mitchell's requests, for a five year presidential term, was never approved. The responsibilities of the president remained much the same until 1914. In the by-laws of this year, the president's duty of “sign[ing] all warrants on the Treasurer” was omitted. 1925 marked a major change in the Office of the President; in this year, he was granted ex-officio membership in all standing committees and had the power to elect most committee members. The first regulation concerning the president's term was instituted in the 1935 by-laws, which state that no president may serve more than three years in a row. Additional changes in the Office of the President did not occur until 1972. The by-laws of this year state that the president must publish his annual address, submit a yearly summary of the activities of the College, and “appoint all standing committees and designate the Chairmen.” with the exception of the Nominating committee, The president's term was again restricted in the 1984 bylaws, which state that the president is limited to one two-year term. As of 2018, this is still an active office.

Robert E. Campbell biography

Robert E. Campbell was born in 1931. He received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1957 and specialized in diagnostic radiology. Over the years, he served as the Clinical Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1994, Professor of Radiology at Jefferson Medical College from 1994 to 1997, and again as Clinical Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania from 1998 until present (2019). Campbell is also a member of the American Board of Radiology Foundation, American College of Radiology, American Medical Association, American Roentgen Ray Society, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Pennsylvania Radiological Society, Philadelphia County Medical Society, and the Philadelphia Roentgen Ray Society, among others. He was the Director of the Planned Parenthood Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania from 1971 to 1973.

Campbell has received numerous awards, including the Strittmatter Award from the Philadelphia County Medical Society in 2007 and the Gold Medal Award from the Radiological Society of North America in 1993.

In 1975, Campbell was elected a Fellow of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and served as its President from 2006 to 2008.

Extent

.2 Linear feet (1 half document box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

This collection contains a small amount of Robert Campbell’s correspondence, 1978-1980, from his tenure as President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Robert E. Campbell was born in 1931. He received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1957 and specialized in diagnostic radiology. In 1975, Campbell was elected a Fellow of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and served as its President from 2006 to 2008.