Miss Clare Marx, has just finished a 3-year term as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the first woman to have held the post in their 207 year history. During that time she was credited with changing the culture of the organisation to concentrate on a focus of excellence in patient care, even when that meant challenging the profession to change. Both internally and externally she championed and encouraged clinical leadership, in particular the need for women to step into such roles.

The world of medicine has changed slowly for women in the profession and there remain challenges to overcome. Clare Marx’s lecture will explore this history with a focus on institutional and personal challenges.