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An exciting opportunity has arisen for a voluntary placement with the York Medical Society to join the curatorial team in developing the curation of its historic collection of medical instruments, artefacts, art and ephemera, with a view towards becoming an accredited museum.
Tasks will include cataloguing and shadowing the drafting of collection policy documents (eg. object movement, multi-part cataloguing), writing labels and curating displays.
This opportunity is open to all students in the History of Art department and will be of interest to those looking to develop curatorial skills and experience. No prior knowledge is required.
To apply, please send a copy of your CV and a paragraph of 500 words maximum, outlining your interest in undertaking this work, via this Google form.
The deadline for applications is 12:00 (midday) on Thursday 30 October.
If you have any questions, please contact histart-placements@york.ac.uk.
The successful applicant will be invited for an induction meeting during November/December. The placement will take place on Fridays in Semester 2, beginning on 6 February and ending on 8 May. This placement will potentially be followed by the offer of a further year as a volunteer, to develop curatorial skills, including exhibition work.
About York Medical Society
York Medical Society (YMS) is located at 23 Stonegate, York, YO1 8AW. It was founded in 1832 and is one of the UK’s oldest medical societies, bringing together healthcare professionals in York to advance medical knowledge and foster professional collaboration. As a charitable organisation, YMS supports medical education, promotes public health initiatives, and provides grants for research and professional development. The Society also manages a historic collection of medical artefacts, books, and instruments, housed within its architecturally complex rooms in Stonegate, reflecting York’s rich medical heritage. Today, YMS continues to be a hub for medical discourse, hosting lectures, networking events, and supporting the local medical community.
‘We have a minimum of 200 objects on display in cabinets in our rooms. Our extensive written historical records and old books are housed at the Borthwick Institute at the University of York. We have the voluntary post of ‘Honorary Curator of Instruments’ for the society, Dr Sue Reaney, who is responsible for our collection,
‘We are looking forwards to a long-term collaboration between the University of York and the York Medical Society to facilitate the involvement of students from the University’s Department of History of Art in cataloguing, arranging, and developing new displays and exhibitions for the York Medical Society’s Museum collection.’
For further information visit the York Medical Society website .
There will be ongoing opportunities for students to become involved with the future development of the York Medical Society’s collection, with its connections to a variety of discourses relating to the body, health management, materiality, and the history of medicine and manufacture. The collection includes original artworks (mostly portraiture) and prints, as well as medical instruments and artefacts.
