Exercise of the Medical Profession Between Fermo and Rome in Modern Age (XVII-XVIII Centuries). Peregrinatio Medica and Introduction of Freshmen

Abstract

 The article regards the history of medical profession between the county of Fermo and Rome in the Early Modern period. During the Seventeenth century the medical faculty of the University of Fermo became an important academic centre in the Papal State. During the second half of the Seventeenth century the link between the county of Fermo and the Roman capital became much stronger in the field of medical education and medical practice. Many physicians from Fermo moved to Rome to practise and to improve their professional knowledge. The peregrinatio medica is a strategic factor towards understanding the development of the medical profession from an outlying area of the ecclesiastical territory to a centre of excellence as the Roman capital was for medicine in the Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth centuries. The medical licence was introduced by the Roman College of physicians as essential to qualifying for medical practice not only in Rome, but in all the provinces of the Papal State. This caused violent controversy between Rome and Fermo that lasted until the Early Nineteenth century.