Marion J. Siegman, PhD, FAPS Historical Archives of Medicine & Science at Jefferson

Healthcare and medical education are constantly changing. It is imperative to preserve our history because when we know where we come from, we can see where we are going.

Thomas Jefferson University’s Archives and Special Collections demonstrate Jefferson’s commitment to history. Jefferson is one of the few institutions that has a fully preserved history, regarded and utilized by scholars internationally.

Currently, the archives, which include over 8,000 rare historical medical books, genealogical information, and artifacts relating to the founding of the university, are displayed in a limited space, with the vast majority of the collection hidden in storage.

Marion Siegman, PhD, FAPS, has made a generous gift to fund the renovation and reimagining of the University Archives in Scott Memorial Library to allow greater access to the collection by increasing the storage space, creating display areas for artifacts and rare books, and adding rooms for educational programs and research.

Dr. Siegman, Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics has spent more than a half century as a researcher and educator at Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC). She is a world-renowned expert in smooth muscle physiology. Dr. Siegman has touched countless lives during her many years at Jefferson as a physician, professor, mentor, and champion of history.

Dr. Siegman’s commitment to Jefferson’s history is due in part to Robley Dunglison, MD, considered the “Father of American Physiology.” He served as the first Chair of the Institutes of Medicine and Medical Jurisprudence at Jefferson Medical College from 1836 to 1868 and later the first Chair of the Department of Physiology. He was also the personal physician to Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. Dr. Duglison’s contribution to the University is a meaningful part of the history that Dr. Siegman is preserving through her generous commitment.

Jefferson alumni, benefactors, students, and faculty alike share Dr. Siegman’s appreciation of, and commitment to, our collective history. Through this unique collection we understand where we started, see all that we have accomplished, and are inspired by how we will move forward.

Jefferson is accepting additional contributions to maintain the collection. Gifts will support efforts to:

• Increase capacity to house, curate, and tell the stories of archive materials
• Create high-quality physical spaces matching the quality of the collection
• Promote awareness of and appreciation for Jefferson’s historical achievements
• Make the collection available and easily accessible to researchers
• Enable educational programs featuring archived materials
• Expand the space to keep up with an ever-growing collection