Gerard van Swietten was the Dutch doctor of the Enlightenment Age. Pobierał nauki od Hermna Boerhaave.
Van Swietten was a practicing Catholic, who did not hide his confession. This did not allow him to fully develop in Leiden, where most of the inhabitants were Protestants. It turned out to be too much of a career obstacle, therefore a year 1741 he left for Vienna. There, his professional life went on a completely different path. He was very quickly appointed the court physician of Empress Maria Theresa. It gave him great opportunities for development, conducting a series of research and implementing many revolutionary changes in medicine and its teaching.
Its first goal was to reform the University of Vienna. The lecturers at this university were doctors with a low level of knowledge, without enthusiasm and willingness to pass on their skills. They probably didn't have many of them, ponieważ zazwyczaj byli to medycy nie umiejący utrzymać się z własnej praktyki. The Dutchman had an idea, that the University of Vienna would be under the protection of the state. The professors would be properly paid for their teaching, and tuition fees for studies will be reduced.
A huge revolution, that completely changed medical studies was the introduction of bedside teaching. It happened in a year 1746. Thanks to this, young adepts of the medical art got a chance to gain knowledge also in practice.
He also introduced the obligation to write a medical history , a także ujednolicił podręczniki i wykłady dla studentów.
He is called the creator of the older Viennese school.
Kim by Gerard van Swieten.
