Shippen, William, Jr.

Shippen, William, Jr., 1736–1808, American surgeon, b. Philadelphia, M.D. Edinburgh, 1761. A pioneer lecturer on anatomy and midwifery, he was instrumental in the organization (1765) at the College of Philadelphia (later the Univ. of Pennsylvania) of the first medical school in the United States, where he served as professor of anatomy and surgery. The actual plans for the medical school were drawn up by John Morgan, but Shippen claimed that Morgan had taken over his idea, and a bitter rivalry grew up. Shippen succeeded Morgan as head of the army medical service; both men were court-martialed on charges arising from their feud and were acquitted. Shippen afterward resumed teaching at the medical school.

---

Shippen, William, Jr.

(born Oct. 21, 1736, Philadelphia, Pa.—died July 11, 1808, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.) U.S. physician. He earned his M.D. in Edinburgh. In 1762 he established the first American maternity hospital, and in 1765, with John Morgan, he organized the first medical school in the American colonies, where he became the first systematic teacher of anatomy, surgery, and obstetrics. He was one of the first to use dissected human bodies to teach anatomy. He succeeded Morgan as head medical officer of the Continental Army in 1777. He was a founder and president of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the first American medical school.