Call Number:

CPP 9/002-01

Repository:

Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Extent:

8.8 linear feet (21 document boxes and 1 small box)

Language:

English

Date:

1984-2010 (inclusive) and (bulk)

Creator:

College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Office of the Executive Director, Langfitt, Thomas W., and Micozzi, Marc S.

Form:

Bylaws (administrative records), Correspondence, Financial records, and Minutes

Abstract:

The Office of the Executive Director is the lead office in charge of administering the business of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The Executive Director oversees the activities of the College of Physicians staff including staff of the Historical Medical Library, the Mütter Museum, the Francis Clark Wood Institute, and the Finance Department. The Executive Director also oversees the College functions of institutional advancement, communications, membership, and special events. The records in this collection document the everyday administrative activities and governance of the College, and span the years 1984 to 2010, with the bulk of materials dating from 1997-2003. Materials consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports, pamphlets of outside organizations, financial reports, minutes, and agendas. This collection is divided into three series. The first series, Governance, contains documentation regarding by-laws, committee meetings, finance, and operations. The second and third series house the records of specific executive directors: Marc Micozzi (1995-2002) and Thomas W. Langfitt (2002-2005).

Established in 1967, the Office of the Executive Director is the lead office in the general administration of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The College of Physicians is not an academic organization, as the name suggests, but a not-for-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to advancing the cause of health and upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine. It was founded in 1787 by twenty-four prominent Philadelphians, including John Redman (1722-1808), elected first president of the College; John Morgan (1735-1789), founder of America's first medical school; and Benjamin Rush (1745-1813), a signer of the Declaration of Independence and vigorous advocate of many humanitarian and social causes. The current administration of the College stems from Benjamin Rush’s original proposed method of governance, which consisted of the Council, President and the Board of Trustees. It is the goals and mission set forth by this governing body that the Executive Director is expected to achieve.

Governance of the College is facilitated by a number of committees, the council (or board of trustees), and a board of advisors that are composed of fellows of the college and nominated into their positions. The Office of the Executive Director oversees the general mission of the College, as well as its staff, the College’s strategic plan, and budget. It also evaluates all of the College of Physicians’ activities, ensuring that the policies established by the College of Physicians’ governing board are upheld.

The Executive Director oversees the Historical Medical Library, the Mütter Museum, and the Francis Clark Wood Institute. The Historical Medical Library at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia collects books and information regarding medical history and related topics. The Mütter Museum collects items relating to the history of medicine and medical anomalies. The Francis Clark Wood Institute for the History of Medicine’s goal is to promote the historical resources of the College of Physicians to the academic community. It provides funds for memberships and a scholar in residence program, and sponsors conferences, seminars, and travel grants to researchers. The Executive Director also oversees the institutional advancement, the finance department, communications, and membership of the College. More specifically, the Executive Director builds and maintains relationships with donors, potential donors, and fellows of the College. The Executive Director’s responsibility is to foresee that the College and staff are operating to achieve the strategic plan as well as facilitate the creation of educational programs and services that fulfill the College’s mission statement. The Executive Director also oversees the creation of successful programs and events at the College, such as lectures, discussions, and seminars. Past Executive Directors include Marc Micozzi Thomas W. Langfitt.

Marc Micozzi was the Executive Director of the College of Physicians from 1995 to 2002. He was a former member of the College of Physicians Board of Advisors. Micozzi was both a physician and an anthropologist and received his M.D., M.Sc., and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. His past experience included serving as the Director of the National Museum of Health and Medicine and as a Senior Investigator for the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. His career focus was on advancing the use of complementary and alternative medicine.

Thomas W. Langfitt served as President from 2002-2004. After receiving his undergraduate degree in biology from Princeton University in 1949, he attended the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. After earning his medical degree, Langfitt eventually became the head of neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Charles Harrison Frazier Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania. His other experience includes serving as President of the Pew Charitable Trusts from 1987 to 1994 and establishing Philly Health Info, a health resource website with basic health information for the Philadelphia community.

Established in 1967, the Office of the Executive Director is the lead office in charge of administering the business of the College of Physicians. The Executive Director oversees the activities of the College of Physicians staff, including the staff of the Historical Medical Library, the Mütter Museum, the Francis Clark Wood Institute, and the Finance Department. The Executive Director also oversees the College functions of institutional advancement, the finance department, communications, membership, and programs and special events.

The records of the Office of the Executive Director are divided into three series.

Series I: Governance consists of papers regarding the overall operations of the College of Physicians on Philadelphia. The By-Laws subseries is comprised of minutes and ballots regarding alterations to the College’s by-laws. The Board of Trustees and Executive Committee subseries contains meeting agendas, minutes, and election ballots from the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. Also included in this subseries are meeting minutes of the Annual Fellowship Meeting. The Standing and Ad Hoc Committees subseries has meeting agendas and minutes from the governing committees of the College of Physicians. Of note in this subseries are meeting minutes and voting ballots from the Committee on Nominations, which include papers regarding the search and election of new Executive Directors. The Finance subseries consists of financial reports and other financial statements for the College. The Operations subseries is largely related to various renovation projects undertaken by the College, such as renovations to the Historical Medical Library and additions to make the building more accessible to the public. Architect and contractor agreements are also included. The Governance series also includes a box of multimedia recordings of college lectures on CD, microcassette, and floppy disk.

The “Marc Micozzi” series dates from 1976 to 2002, but the bulk of the records date from 1992 to 2002. Communications with College committee and board members, as well as other health professionals, are represented in Correspondence. Financial is a subseries containing paperwork and applications for grants from different organizations, such as the Pew Charitable Trust. Governance subseries includes minutes, notes, and agendas from various committee meetings. Of note in this series are papers relating to the transfer of the Radbill Library Collection to the Historical Medical Library. Special Projects subseries contains meeting minutes, notes, information packets, and other documentation relating to special projects undertaken by Micozzi, including the Francis C. Wood Institute, Health Resources and Services Administrations, and various grant proposals and correspondence. Also of note are papers regarding grant funding and the Francis C. Wood Institute Symposium with the Library Company of Philadelphia.

Series III: Thomas W. Langfitt served as the interim Executive Director of the College of Physicians from 2002 until his death in 2005. The “Thomas W. Langfitt” series dates from 1998 to 2005. Correspondence covers Langfitt’s communications that are both personal and professional in nature. The Governance subseries includes minutes, notes, and agendas from various committee meetings, as well as some financial papers. The Special Projects subseries contains meeting minutes, notes, information packets, and other documentation relating to special projects undertaken by Langfitt during his time as Executive Director. Of note is documentation for the planning and implementation of Steps to a Healthier Philadelphia, a community health initiative.