Previous staff member and co-founder of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Name: Robert SibbaldCategory: Previous staffRole: Professor of Medicine, founder of the Royal College of Physicians EdinburghCountry of origin: Scotland, United KingdomTime active in Edinburgh: 1680s Born to a prosperous family in Fife, Robert left Scotland in 1660 to begin his medical education in Leiden, before moving to Paris to further his studies. On his return to Scotland and inspired by the medical colleges he had visited, Robert was keen to establish something similar at home. His first major project was the creation of a “physick garden” with Andrew Balfour, containing over 800 medicinal plants. The garden later evolved into the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh. In 1681, Robert co-founded the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, also with Andrew Balfour. Robert was a strong advocate for the establishment of a faculty of medicine at the University of Edinburgh and became its first professor of medicine in 1685. This article was published on 2026-03-12
