Dr Richard Bellis

Dr Richard Bellis

Associate Lecturer in Medical Humanities

Researcher profile

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 7013
Email
rtb8@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Biography

My undergraduate degree in Philosophy at the University of Leeds introduced me to the history of science and medical humanities, which have been my main academic pursuits ever since. I gained an MSc in History and Philosophy of Science at University College London in the Science and Technology Studies (STS) Department, before returning to Leeds for my PhD, completed in 2019, on Matthew Baillie's work in developing the practice of morbid anatomy in Britain, c.1780-1830. 

After completion, I worked in a variety of short-term research roles at the universities of Leeds (Eating Yourself Young), St Andrews (on the Universal Short-Title Catalogue), Bristol (Alcmaeon Project), and Liverpool (Human Remains Project). I also (and often simultaineously) held short-term teaching positions at Bristol, Durham, Leeds, and St Andrews. My initial role in the School of Medicine at St Andrews was to deliver medical ethics teaching. I was appointed to my current role in 2023. 

Teaching

Medical Humanities including Medical Ethics

Deputy Module Controller MD3002

BSc/MSc/PhD supervision

Personal Tutor 

Research areas

Historical research: my main research interests centre around the history of anatomy, pathology, and science communication in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. This incorporates an interest in medical museums and the ethics of holding and displaying historic human remains. I am also interested in how digital humanities research methods can be applied to the history of medicine.

Educational research: I am interested in how medical humanities can be taught in medical schools, and the benefits associated with doing so. 

Selected publications

 

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