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Dept. of Postgraduate Medicine established at the University of Michigan in 1927 as part of a state wide effort to provide continuing medical education to practicing physicians. In 1946 the Affiliated Hospital program began, providing decentralized medical training for interns, residents, and community practitioners. Documents the development and administration of the affiliated hospital program, and material on key affiliations including Henry Ford Hospital, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Veterans Administration Hospital, and Wayne County General Hospital, as well as hospitals throughout the state. Records documenting the early use of medical television are present as are records of the Medical Center House Officers Committee, and speeches by James D. Bruce.

The records of the University of Michigan Department of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Professions Education, dating from 1919 to 1993, offer a partial picture of the development of the department and the subsequent effort to provide continuing medical education to practicing physicians and residents. These records generally contain little information about intramural programming, primarily focusing on the affiliated hospital program and the training of interns and residents (house officers). The records are also indicative of the varied responsibilities held by the department over time (i.e., administration of Medical Center Alumni Society).

The records were received in two separate accessions. The first accession, received from the Department of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Professions Education in 1994 is located in boxes 1-10. Material received in 1996 are located in boxes 12-15. Restricted files from both accessions have been removed to box 11.

Pediatrician, professor and philanthropist, joined University of Michigan Dept. of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases in 1934, and served with the 298th General Hospital Unit during World War II. Papers include medical school lecture notes, class of 1931 files, medical research files; correspondence, histories, photographs and motion pictures relating to the 298th General Hospital Unit, family history materials including Frank A. Towsley's diary, 1876, and family correspondence, 1878-1926 and photographs.

The papers of Harry A. Towsley provide a broad overview of the many facets of his career, including his medical education at the University of Michigan, his service with the 298th General Hospital during World War II, and his professional career as a pediatrician and educator. The collection is arranged in eleven series as follows: Biographical Material; Correspondence; Family History; Foundation Relations Committee Files; General Files; Iodine and Goiter Research; Pediatric Files; Student Notes; Reunion Files; 298th General Hospital Records; and Films.

The Faculty and Staff files contain biographical and background information created and collected by the University of Michigan News and Information Services. News and Information Services is the media relations office of the university. The files represent more than 6,000 individual faculty and staff members. Some files contain photographs.

The Faculty and Staff Files (145 linear feet; 1944-2005) are arranged alphabetically by surname and contain academic and biographical information on nearly 6000 faculty and staff, including many who are inactive, retired or deceased. The files were maintained by the University of Michigan News and Information Service. Early on the files were working files holding ready reference biographical information and copies of press releases. Eventually the files came to include collected information such as copies of local and national newspaper articles where faculty or staff members were mentioned.

The amount of information per individual varies considerably, ranging from a single item to multiple folders. Files dating from around 1960-1995 tend to have more documentation than dates outside of this range, though there are some exceptions. Specific types of information include copies of news releases where the individual is mentioned, pages from Regents' meetings detailing appointments (resignations, faculty appointments, promotions, reassignments, sabbaticals, adoption of memoirs for retirements and deaths, etc.), newspaper clippings, magazine articles, preprints or reprints of publications, curricula vitae or other biographical summaries, and obituaries. In addition, some of the files contain photographs and negatives. (Photograph Series D of the News and Information Services records contains more than 4,000 faculty and staff portraits. A separate finding aid is available for that series.)

Files of University of Michigan presidents such as Alexander Ruthven and Harlan Hatcher are within the collection, as are files of various members of the Board of Regents. Distinguished alumni of the University of Michigan, including Nobel Prize winners Stanley Cohen and Raoul Wallenberg, also have files. The collection is of interest to researchers who desire a greater understanding of the professional interests and activities of faculty members in particular.