Royal College of Physicians: Over 500 Years of Advancing Medicine

For more than five centuries, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has stood as a cornerstone of medical excellence in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1518 by a Royal Charter from King Henry VIII at the behest of his personal physician Thomas Linacre, the RCP is the oldest medical college in England. Uniquely for its time, the charter established the RCP in perpetuity as a professional body in the name of public benefit. Originally created to protect people from unqualified medical practitioners, the College has evolved over the centuries into a modern, influential institution dedicated to improving health and healthcare for all.

Mission, Vision, and Core Values

The RCP’s mission is to drive improvements in health and healthcare through advocacy, education, and research. Its vision is the best possible health and healthcare for everyone. As a patient-centred, clinically led organisation, the RCP works to improve the diagnosis of disease, the care of individual patients, and the health of the whole population, both in the UK and across the globe. Its work is guided by three core values: taking care, learning, and being collaborative. Buy fake certificate online.

A Professional Home for Physicians

With approximately 40,000 members and fellows worldwide working across 30 medical specialties, the RCP serves as the professional home for physicians. It supports doctors at every stage of their careers, from training through to retirement. In the UK, the path to becoming a physician typically involves five years of medical school, two years of foundation training, two to three years of internal medicine training, and four or more years of higher specialty training. The RCP plays a central role in this journey, delivering high-quality, globally respected education, examinations, and professional standards.

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Shaping Healthcare Policy and Practice

The RCP is a powerful voice in healthcare policy, drawing on its members’ knowledge and expertise to develop evidence-based policy in key areas. It works with government, politicians, and other stakeholders to embed quality improvement in healthcare. The College has been a steadfast advocate for universal access to healthcare, high standards in clinical practice, and evidence-based medicine. In 2025, it secured major policy wins on medical training and workforce reform, while also extending voting rights to collegiate members as part of a broader modernisation of its governance.

A Commitment to Education and Training

Education remains at the heart of the RCP’s work. The College offers a world-leading selection of educational workshops, courses, and career development opportunities. It also administers the Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (MRCP(UK)) diploma, a globally recognised qualification taken by over 20,000 doctors annually in more than 100 locations worldwide. In partnership with the other Royal Colleges of Physicians, the RCP develops and delivers services that support doctors at every stage of their careers, including continuing professional development and training through the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board.

Driving Research and Clinical Excellence

Recognising that research-active hospitals deliver better patient outcomes, the RCP actively promotes clinical research. In 2025, the College launched a practical resource kit to help doctors advocate for research time in their job plans and training programmes, addressing the sharp decline in clinical researchers in the NHS. The RCP also sets standards in key areas of care and measures that care through clinical audits and accreditation schemes. Its work spans quality improvement and patient safety initiatives across a variety of clinical areas.

A Global Reach and a Focus on Population Health

The RCP has a truly global network, with members based in over 80 countries. Its international work ranges from accreditation and guideline development in the Middle East to clinical skills workshops in rural Nigeria. At home, the College is deeply committed to tackling health inequalities. It convenes the Inequalities in Health Alliance, a coalition of more than 250 organisations calling for a cross-government strategy to reduce health disparities. In 2025, the RCP appointed a special adviser on population health to further this work, highlighting that approximately 80-90% of the factors influencing public health lie outside the healthcare system—including housing, education, employment, and poverty.

A Bold Strategy for the Future

In May 2026, the RCP published its new five-year strategy for 2026–2030. Based on extensive engagement with members, the strategy reflects a clear demand for a modern royal college that offers a stronger sense of community, high-quality education, and a more visible, influential voice. Structured around four priorities—connection, standards, voice, and renewal—the strategy commits the RCP to leading an inclusive global community, delivering globally respected education and standards, advocating for the changes needed to improve patient care and support the medical workforce, and modernising its governance to ensure long-term financial sustainability. Professor Mumtaz Patel, the 123rd President of the RCP and the first Indo-Asian Muslim to hold the position, captured the spirit of this renewal: “Our members told us clearly that they want a college that stands alongside them—one that listens, supports and speaks up with confidence on the issues that matter most to them and their patients. This strategy is our commitment to delivering exactly that”.

From its 16th-century origins to its 21st-century vision, the Royal College of Physicians has remained an unwavering advocate for patients, a rigorous standard-setter for the profession, and a powerful force for improving health across the United Kingdom and the world.