Duke Medical Center Archive Blog

An oral history is an interview that records an individual’s personal recollections of the past and historical events. Using this method of gathering, preserving, and interpreting ensures that the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants are added to the historical record. Oral histories are conducted by a well prepared interviewer questioning an interviewee and recording their subsequent discussion in an audio or video format. Afterwards, the recording of the interview is transcribed to create a transcript and added to the holdings of a library or archives where it should be cataloged to make it discoverable by future users. Did you know that the Medical Center Archives houses a robust oral history collection of over 350 interviews? These oral histories date to as… MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

Each year the School of Medicine students put on an entirely student-run production that offers a comedic view of the experiences of a medical student at Duke, usually parodying a popular musical or movie. The shows feature original songs and dances, student performances, and guest appearances by School of Medicine faculty. The Duke University Medical Center Archives actively collects Student-Faculty Show materials. The Student-Faculty Show Collection contains digital and analog materials that feature video performances (VHS video tapes, U-matic video tapes, DVDs, MP4 files), audio recordings (LPs, CDs, 7 inch reel-to-reel audio tapes), photographs, negatives, scripts, cast… MORE

Category: Collection Spotlight

Attention!!! Attention!!!  Does your office create records? Do you know what records are? (No, not vinyl, the other type of records :-)) Do you know what to do with your office’s records once they have reached the end of their usefulness to your office?   If you answered yes or are unsure you have come to the right place. The Duke University Medical Center Archives is proud to announce the launch of a new series of records management training videos. These seven online modules are short instructional guides on handling your records and transferring them for permanent preservation in the Archives. The videos are short, ranging from 2 to 7 minutes.  The first video answers the… MORE

Category: News

We are proud to announce that the Duke Med Pride Records are now processed and open for research at the Duke University Medical Center Archives. DukeMed Pride is a student-led group consisting of LGBTQIA+ and allied students within the Duke University School of Medicine (DUSOM) that formed circa 2000.

The collection documents the variety of events and programming hosted by DukeMed Pride including Anti-Racism in the Queer Community, Fat Stigma in Healthcare, DukeMed Virtual 5K, Pride Pizza Pinhook Pre-Game Pride Pool Party, Queer Health Science Mixer, and Trans and Gender Expansive Healthcare Panel. It also contains… MORE

Category: Collection Spotlight

Calling all students!

As we approach the end of the academic year, we invite you to share your experiences and perspectives for preservation in the Duke Medical Center Archives. We want to collect documentation of students’ experiences before this history is lost to memory.

We have a short form that asks some reflective questions about your experiences as a health professional student during a worldwide pandemic. It also provides a place for you to upload photographs, videos, or audio recordings that document your year.

These questions are designed to be flexible and are all optional. Your answers will go directly to the Archives and not to school administrators or… MORE

Category: News

In the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Duke Health assembled a COVID-19 Response Team (now named Duke Health Leadership) and, along with Duke Health Nursing, began to hold virtual town halls where they discussed Duke Health’s and Duke Nursing’s clinical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each town hall has a theme, panelists, and a Q&A session for participants. All have been held virtually. Some themes include: COVID-19 patient surge preparations, COVID-19 testing, nursing issues, PPE, COVID-19 patient care, clinical and operations updates, COVID-19 vaccine, return to school, Duke Health’s voter registration and turnout initiative for the 2020 elections, and Moments to Movement (Duke Health’s collective stand against systemic racism and injustice). The DUMCA is actively… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

In the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Duke Health assembled a COVID-19 Response Team (now named Duke Health Leadership) and, along with Duke Health Nursing, began to hold virtual town halls where they discussed Duke Health’s and Duke Nursing’s clinical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each town hall has a theme, panelists, and a Q&A session for participants. All have been held virtually. Some themes include: COVID-19 patient surge preparations, COVID-19 testing, nursing issues, PPE, COVID-19 patient care, clinical and operations updates, COVID-19 vaccine, return to school, Duke Health’s voter registration and turnout initiative for the 2020 elections, and Moments to Movement (Duke Health’s collective stand against systemic racism and injustice). The DUMCA is actively… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

Duke Medical Center Library & Archives is debuting a newly redesigned and updated online exhibit of Women in Duke Health just in time for Women's History Month.

Highlighting women in multiple fields at Duke, many of which were pioneers or firsts in their disciplines, this exhibit looks at their stories and the context in which those stories took place. The primary method of inquiry for context in this exhibit was via oral histories, a unique format that allows for both.

This historical perspective is presented through individual profiles and interviews, a general timeline of events, and background interviews conducted with people who have a longtime view of Duke Medicine. For most… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Duke Medical Center Library & Archives is debuting a newly redesigned and updated online exhibit of Women in Duke Health just in time for Women's History Month.

Highlighting women in multiple fields at Duke, many of which were pioneers or firsts in their disciplines, this exhibit looks at their stories and the context in which those stories took place. The primary method of inquiry for context in this exhibit was via oral histories, a unique format that allows for both.

This historical perspective is presented through individual profiles and interviews, a general timeline of events, and background interviews conducted with people who have a longtime view of Duke Medicine. For most… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Last summer, Duke University and the School of Medicine took steps to acknowledge and address systematic racism, both within their institutions and across the nation. Emphasis was given to the effects racism has on Black communities and individuals. On June 16, Duke University held "Living While Black," an all-day symposium bringing together distinguished Black faculty, students, and staff. Speakers discussed the history of race and racism within Duke and the United States, their personal perspectives as Black individuals at Duke, and steps to chart a path toward an equitable, anti-racist future. Later that day, Dean Mary Klotman, MD, addressed race and racism within the Duke University School of Medicine with "Turning a Moment into a Movement: Dismantling Racism in the Duke University… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

Last summer, Duke University and the School of Medicine took steps to acknowledge and address systematic racism, both within their institutions and across the nation. Emphasis was given to the effects racism has on Black communities and individuals. On June 16, Duke University held "Living While Black," an all-day symposium bringing together distinguished Black faculty, students, and staff. Speakers discussed the history of race and racism within Duke and the United States, their personal perspectives as Black individuals at Duke, and steps to chart a path toward an equitable, anti-racist future. Later that day, Dean Mary Klotman, MD, addressed race and racism within the Duke University School of Medicine with "Turning a Moment into a Movement: Dismantling Racism in the Duke University… MORE

Category: News, Collection Spotlight

With the events of the past year, it has probably become clichéd to say that “we are living in historic times”. However, as we celebrate Black History Month this year, the reality of systemic racism and injustice is forefront in many of our minds. An important first step to addressing systemic racism is learning more about how race and racism is embedded in our history, including that of Duke Health.  The Duke University Medical Center Archives seeks to preserve materials that document the history of Duke Health and make them available for research and education. For example, we have been actively capturing and preserving the 2020 Moments to… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

With the events of the past year, it has probably become clichéd to say that “we are living in historic times”. However, as we celebrate Black History Month this year, the reality of systemic racism and injustice is forefront in many of our minds. An important first step to addressing systemic racism is learning more about how race and racism is embedded in our history, including that of Duke Health.  The Duke University Medical Center Archives seeks to preserve materials that document the history of Duke Health and make them available for research and education. For example, we have been actively capturing and preserving the 2020 Moments to… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

The Duke Community was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Charles Hammond last week.

Dr. Hammond joined the faculty of Duke University School of Medicine faculty in 1968 and served as chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 1970 to 1980. In 1980 he became chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, where he served until his retirement in 2002. As the E. C. Hamblen Professor of Reproductive Biology and Family Planning, his emphases were primarily in reproductive endocrinology and infertility as well as placental malignancy,… MORE

Category: DUMC History

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Category: Collection Highlights