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Two Fantastic Resources for Medical Humanities Reseachers

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By CentreForMedicalHumanities.org Research Team | Last verified: September 2026

Research Summary: Medical Humanities Research Resources

Resource Type: Open-access archival databases and dissertation indices
Primary Resources: Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine (oral histories), Medical Humanities doctoral dissertation index
Access: Online transcripts freely available; physical archives at Wellcome Library, London (collection GC/253)
Scope: Twentieth-century medical history, biomedical research, and contemporary medical humanities scholarship primarily from British and North American institutions
Coverage: Topics span genetic testing, cannabis medicalization, and major medical discoveries with participation from significant twentieth-century medical figures
Institutional Coordination: Managed through Queen Mary's The History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group to strengthen biomedical research community and medical historian connections

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Just a note of introduction to those who have not yet accessed the Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine. Co-ordinated through Queen Mary’s The History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group, the Wellcome Witnesses aim “to develop and strengthen links between members of the biomedical research community and medical historians, and to promote and facilitate the study of the history of twentieth-century medicine and medical science by encouraging the creation and deposit of material sources for use by present and future historians.”Of course, its not only historians who can benefit from the open access transcripts, which are public records of some extraordinary meetings in which significant figures in twentieth-century medicine are invited to discuss specific discoveries or events in recent medical history, especially in a British context. They are available online and in Archives and Manuscripts in the Wellcome Library, London (collection GC/253). A wide range of topics have been discussed in these meetings – from genetic testing to the medicalization of cannabis – and we recommend you have a jolly good root about for what interests you. Thanks to Alan Yabsley for bringing this to our attention.

While on the subject of resources for medical humanities research, there is this rather brilliant index of medical humanities doctoral dissertations. Again, a huge range of material, reflecting the great vibrancy of research being conducted in North American institutions. Thanks to David Herman for passing this link to us to share here.

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