Academy members, circa 1890. This fall marks the group's bicentennial.
The Richmond Academy of Medicine turns 200 years old this fall, marking its bicentennial in the city. The celebration has been postponed until September 2021 due to concerns about COVID-19, but the society continues its work as a resource and advocate for metro area physicians.
The pandemic has affected the academy’s operations in numerous ways. The organization has assisted the Richmond medical community during COVID-19 by creating an online resource center for physicians and medical practices that includes links for the latest information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Health. Links for information for physicians, practice managers and volunteers are also available.
The Richmond Academy of Medicine provides bagged lunches from local restaurants to health care workers during the pandemic.
The academy also launched a program called “Loving Lunches RVA,” which delivers meals to health care workers. RAM’s executive director, Jim Beckner, says the program had two goals. “One, to express gratitude to front-line health care providers and clinical staff who cover the front line, and two, to support local restaurant and food services.”
RAM pivoted to online meetings for its members via Zoom, which included sessions on children’s mental health during a pandemic, and a return to school and day-care plan for parents and guardians. “Even though we're all fragmented and work for different people, we can come together in a place where we can learn from one another and come together, and I’m really proud to be a part of that,” says Carolyn Burns, president of the academy.
Burns says that the bicentennial celebration has been postponed so the organization can properly celebrate the milestone. There are two events on the books for 2020 to provide outings for physicians and their families. Burns emphasized the importance of creating avenues for people to be involved with RAM without taking away from time with their loved ones.
The academy traces its roots to monthly candlelight sessions held by doctors in the city and Manchester to discuss medical topics of the day, according to its website. That history will be featured in a video, “200 Years Strong,” that will premiere at the gala, which is set for next year at The Jefferson Hotel. A preview shows some of the social advancements that the group has made over the years in terms of female involvement. The video acknowledges Emily Runyon, the first female member of RAM. She was initially denied entry in 1895 and was accepted in 1910 unanimously.
“I think it’s an amazing accomplishment for a medical society, to have lasted 200 years, but [also] to have remained relevant and flexible and to remain meaningful in the current day,” Beckner says.
