The Academy stumbles, then advances, under fire

Abstract

One sure sign of an inspired idea is the resentment that it elicits from those who should know better. When a working group, chaired by Sir Michael Atiyah, floated the notion of a UK Academy of Medicine and published a consultation paper, 1 EditorialA UK Academy of Medicine: hot idea or hot air?. Lancet. 1996; 347: 1419 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar the outpouring of derision that followed was predictable. Richard Smith, editor of the British Medical Journal, whilst reviewing the need for an Academy, wrote that “Few can dissent from the need for something”. 2 Smith R Does Britain need an academy of medicine?. BMJ. 1996; 312: 1374-1375 Crossref PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar But quite a few did, and they come mostly from the dark corridors of the British Medical Association, an organisation with an unfortunate history of getting it wrong when it matters most. A UK Academy of Medicine?A Working Group, which I chair, has been established by MERCC (Medical Education and Research Coordinating Committee) and asked to report on “all aspects of the desirability and feasibility of establishing an academy of medicine for the UK”. A brief consultation paper was produced by the Working Group and widely distributed earlier in the year. This elicited around 400 responses from a great variety of individuals and these are now being analysed. Full-Text PDF