History of the Health Sciences Resources: Professional Organizations

The American Academy of the History of Dentistry was founded in 1951 to stimulate interest, study and research in the record of the dental profession.

The American Association for the History of Medicine (AAHM), founded in 1925, is a professional association of historians, physicians, nurses, archivists, curators, librarians, and others. The AAHM promotes and encourages research, study, writing, and interest in the history of medicine including the history of public health, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and allied arts, sciences, and professions.

The American Association for the History of Nursing (AAHN) is a professional organization open to everyone interested in the history of nursing.

The American Historical Association (AHA) is the largest professional organization in the United States devoted to the study and promotion of history and historical thinking. AHA brings together historians from all specializations and professions, embracing their breadth, variety, and ever-changing activity.

The documentation and preservation of pharmacy's heritage is the primary aim of the Institute. We do this by making available a wide variety of materials related to scholarly, professional, and popular history of pharmacy. We provide financial support for research designed to illuminate the history of the profession, the history of drug research and manufacturing, and the history of the uses of medicines in society.

The American Osler Society was founded for the purpose of bringing together members of the medical and allied professions who are, by their common inspiration, dedicated to memorialize and perpetuate the just and charitable life, the intellectual resourcefulness, and the ethical example of Sir William Osler (1849-1919).

This Association is established exclusively for educational purposes to serve the professional interests of librarians, archivists, and other specialists actively engaged in the librarianship of the history of the health sciences by promoting the exchange of information and by improving standards of service.

The History of Science Society is the world’s largest society dedicated to understanding science, technology, medicine, and their interactions with society in historical context. Over 3,000 individual and institutional members across the world support the Society’s mission to foster interest in the history of science and its social and cultural relations.

Provides a forum for archivists with interests or holdings in science, technology, and health care, presenting opportunities to exchange information, solve problems, and share successes.