John Clerk

Fellow

Date of Fellowship admission: 14 December 1714

John Clerk received his medical degree from the University of St Andrews on 5 July 1711. He was licensed to practise on 15 June 1714 and admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 14 December 1714. Clerk assisted William Cullen in writing the 'Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia', a guide containing medical recipes and methods. Cullen described him as 'the person who chiefly introduced into Scotland judgement, accuracy, and elegance in private prescriptions'. Clerk served as President of the College from 1740 to 1744 and was one of twelve physicians appointed to manage the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. In 1862 the College Library acquired Clerk's personal collection, many volumes of which bore his father's crest and name, 'Ihone Clerk'.

Year of medical qualification

5 July 1711

Date of Licence

15 June 1714

Fellowship
The main qualification issued by the College, awarded regularly since the College’s foundation. This qualification was granted based on demonstrated breadth of experience and did not require an individual to pass a certain examination.