Patrick Halyburton was one of the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. His name was written nineteenth on the charter. He did not originally hold office. On 12 October 1684 he delivered a discourse before the College entitled 'De febric intermittationis naturae et curatione'. It was the twelfth discourse given to the College. Halyburton was appointed on 8 March 1682 as a member of the Pharmacopoeia committee. He was present at only four of the early College meetings, and after 1684 his name is not mentioned again in the minutes.

William Lauder was one of the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. He did not originally hold office and attended only one early College meeting, on 5 April 1682. His name does not appear again in the meeting minutes until September 1695. Lauder was born circa 1652 or 1653, and his name appears in the Leiden alumni register as having matriculated at the University of Leiden on 8 October 1674, aged twenty-two.

Born in Edinburgh, Archibald Pitcairne was the son of Alexander Pitcairne. He was educated in Dalkeith and at the University of Edinburgh, graduating MA in 1671. He studied botany, pharmacy, and materia medica, and after further study in Paris graduated MD at the University of Reims in 1680. In 1685 he was appointed, along with Sir Robert Sibbald and Sir James Halket, joint Professor of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

Painting: Archibald Pitcairne (17th century)

Painting: Archibald Pitcairne (late 17th century)

Biography: Archibald Pitcairne

Peter Kello received his medical degree from the University of Reims. On 4 December 1682 it was reported that Dr Kello had 'addressed a bill to the College to be received as one of the society, and offering himself to abide a trial conforming to the rules of the College'. The examination took place in three parts. Kello was successful and was admitted as a Fellow on 5 February 1683.

John Abernethie received his medical degree from the University of Orange on 9 June 1673. He attained his licence to practise on 13 August 1684 and was admitted as a Fellow of the College on 4 December that same year. Abernethie was the second Fellow admitted following the granting of the charter, after Peter Kello.

William Stevenson was one of the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. His name was written sixteenth on the charter. Stevensone served as Treasurer of the College from 1 May 1682, taking over from John Hutton, and retired from the treasurership in August 1683. He was also the first Librarian of the College, appointed on 7 May 1683. Stevensone's name last appears in the College meeting minutes on 4 December 1684.

Also written as Stevensone.

David Hay was among the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. He was one of six signatories to the patent for the establishment of the College, his name appearing first on the charter. He was born into the landed gentry as a member of the family of the Earl of Errol. By 1684 he had become Physician in Ordinary to the King, a post later known as First or Principal Physician. Hay died in Edinburgh in 1699.

Thomas Burnet was among the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. Born in 1638, he was the son of Robert Burnet, an advocate in Edinburgh. Following the custom of many Scots of his time, Burnet travelled to France to study medicine before returning to Edinburgh to establish a medical practice. His 'Thesaurus Medicinae Practicae' served as a reference work for professional medical practitioners. He later served as physician to Charles II, James II, William and Mary, and Queen Anne. Burnet died in 1704.

Biography: Thomas Burnet

Matthew Brisbane was among the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. He served as Rector of the University of Glasgow in 1677, became town physician to Glasgow in 1682, and was also a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Archibald Stevensone was one of the original twenty-one Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh when it was incorporated by royal charter on 29 November 1681. His name was listed fourth on the charter. Born in 1629, he was the youngest of seven children. His father, the Rev. Andrew Stevensone, was a professor of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. His mother died in 1634, and from the age of nine he was brought up in Dunbar. In 1662 Stevensone married Elizabeth Ramsay, with whom he had four sons and four daughters. He received his medical degree from the University of Leiden in 1661. Stevensone served as the first President of the College from 1681 to 1684, before being succeeded by Robert Sibbald. In January 1684 he delivered one of the first monthly discourses before the College, on 'polypus cardis'. He died in 1710.