Biographical/historical information

The North Carolina Medical Society is the oldest professional organization in the state. It first received its charter from the North Carolina legislature in 1799, and lasted through 1804 before records of meetings stop. The Society was restablished in 1849 when 25 physicians united to advance medical science and to raise the standards for their profession. In 1859, the State Board of Medical Examiners was passed by the legislation due to a five member committee formed from Society members. The State Board established provisions allowed for physicians with a medical diploma and those swearing under oath that they had practiced medicine prior to the bill to register to practice within their county of residence. In 1921, the law was amended so that only physicians who were licensed by the Board could practice in the state and they needed a medical degree.

The Society has meet continuously, with the exception of 1862 to 1866 because of the Civil War, since its revival in 1849. Its current mission is "to provide leadership in medicine by uniting, serving, and representing physicians and their health care teams to enhance the health of North Carolinians."

Source: "150 Years of Leadership: The History of the North Carolina Medical Society's Pioneering Physician Leaders" pamphlet (2004).

Scope and arrangement

Photocopied selections from the "Transactions … Medical Society of the State of North Carolina" for 1903 -1939 (except 1912). Information about the chartering of the Pitt County Medical Society (PCMS) as a component county medical society of the North Carolina Medical Society on 11 December 1903 and lists of PCMS members for 1903 -1939 (except 1912).

Photograph of the attendees at the annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of North Carolina in Morehead City, North Carolina on June 17 – 19, 1913. It was previously owned by physician William Cobb Whitfield (1860-1938) of Grifton, North Carolina. (Dr. Whitfield was the President of the Pitt County Medical Society in 1908.) Photograph by Wootten-Moulton of New Bern, North Carolina.

Administrative information

Custodial History

Probably donated 2004 July 15: One photograph. Gift of Miles Smith, of Greenville, North Carolina.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Miles Smith

Processing information

Processed by Melissa Nasea, 2015

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Metadata Rights Declaration

Language of material

English

Related material

Pitt County Medical Society (LL 02.33), The William E. Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

William Cobb Whitfield Papers (#1179), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

Bayard Morgan Wootten Photographic Collection #P0011, North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library.

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