In 2013 the AAHM Council endorsed the Clio Initiative, an ongoing project to revitalize historians’ engagement with medical education. Clio Initiative participants have identify five projects as their focus for 2014-2015 and organized groups to carry them out. The groups are:

1. Writing projects/White papers

This group is developing white papers and other writing projects to argue for the inclusion/value of history of medicine education for medical, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, and other health care professional students. There are many opportunities to prepare written statements and papers for a variety of potential audiences that will explain, support, and advocate for the history of health care in medical schools and other professional programs in the health sciences. Jeremy Greene and David Jones are leading this group.  

2. Networking with Credentialing Bodies

The group plans to reach out to those in authority who make policy and regulations regarding professional health education. It hopes to serve as a potential liaison to accrediting bodies on behalf of the AAHM.  The group will be led by Jennifer Gunn and Chris Crenner

3. Archivists and Librarians

The committee will work with the medical history librarians and archivists to develop relationships and allies within libraries/archives. Many of these allied professionals already have small roles in bringing medical history into the classroom and exciting students with their unique collections of artifacts, archives, books, images, manuscripts, photographs, and museum objects. Micaela Sullivan-Fowler will lead this group.  

4. Collecting Resources/Curriculum Development and Models

 This group is focused on collection resources such as syllabi, podcasts, websites, curricula models and tips on teaching history to medical students and residents in the clinical setting. Jennifer Gunn, Mindy Schwartz and Karen Ross with guide the work of this group.  

5. Networking with Other Organizations

This committee will develop strategies for working with other professional organizations, including medical societies, bioethicists, clinicians, etc. to promote the history of medicine in professional health care education. Jeremy Greene and Scott Podolsky have agreed to lead this group.

Mailing List

The Clio Initiative participants maintain a listserv to further discussion and project planning. Visit the following website to join the list: mailman/listinfo/aahm_clio_project_histmed.org

For further information or to participate in any of the projects contact Laura Hirshbein