The Regius Professorship of Physic is a

Regius Professor A Regius Professor is a university Professor (highest academic rank), professor who has, or originally had, Monarchy of the United Kingdom, royal patronage or appointment. They are a unique feature of academia in the United Kingdom and Republic ...

ship in

Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

. "Physic" is an old word for medicine (and the root of the word "

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

"): it does not refer to the study of physics. The seat dates from at least 1637, placing it amongst the oldest academic posts at the university. Mention is made in the college's Register for 1598 of an annual grant of £40 from the government for a "Physitian's pay"; this is sometimes held to be the provision made for the Chair of Physic, but it is possible that it may have been in granted for medical services required by the troops stationed in Dublin. By 1700, the chair was considered part of the senior academic staff, alongside the

Provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...

and

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

s (the professorships in other subjects being confined to Fellows at that time).

Regius Professors of Physic

*1: John Stearne (1656–1659, 1662–1669) *2:

John Margetson Sir John William Denys Margetson (9 October 1927 – 17 October 2020) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Vietnam, the United Nations, and the Netherlands. Early life Margetson was the younger son of the Very Rev. William Marget ...

(1670-1674) Kirkpatrick (1912) gives Margetson's forename as "Thomas". *3: Ralph Howard (1674–1710) *4:

Richard Steevens Richard Steevens (1653 – 15 December 1710) was an Irish physician. Biography Steevens and Grizell his sister (1653–1746), were the twin children of John Steevens, an English royalist clergyman who settled in Ireland in the middle of the sev ...

(1710-1710) *5: Thomas Molyneux (1711–1733) *6: Richard Helsham (1733–1738) *7:

Henry Cope Henry Cope (12 July 1742) was an English military officer and merchant who served as the 5th lieutenant governor of Placentia from 1736 until his death in 1742. Early life and military career Henry Cope was born in the year 1688, in England. ...

(1738-1742/3) *8: Francis Foreside (1742/3-1745) *9: Bryan Robinson (1745–1754) *10: Edward Barry (1754–1761) *11: William Clement (1761–1781) *12: Edward Hill (1781–1830) *13: Whitley Stokes (1830–1840) *14: William Stokes (1840–1878) *15: Alfred Hudson (1878–1880) *16:

John Thomas Banks Sir John Thomas Banks (14 October 1816 – 16 July 1908) was an Anglo-Irish physician and, between 1880 and 1898, Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College, Dublin. Life Provenance Although born in London, Banks lived and worked in Irela ...

(1880–1898) *17: James Little (1898–1916) *18: John Mallet Purser (1917–1925) *19: Thomas Gillman Moorhead (1925–1956) *20: Victor Synge (1956–1972) *21: Peter Gatenby (1975-1977) *22: Donald Weir (1977-2000) *23:

Owen Smith Owen Smith (born 2 May 1970) is a British lobbyist and former Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician. Smith was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency), Pontypridd from 2 ...

(2014-2020) *24: Rose Anne Kenny (2022–present)

Notes

References

{{Reflist Physic Professorships in medicine Physic, Dublin