Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists stands in a modern office building near London Bridge. Its members work in pregnancy, childbirth and women’s reproductive health across more than one hundred countries. Nearly half of these members live outside the British Isles. The college began in 1929 when Professor William Blair-Bell and Sir William Fletcher Shaw founded the British College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. For the first three years the office was in Manchester before moving to central London in 1932. The college holds a royal charter granted in 1947 and has been led by distinguished presidents including Dame Lesley Regan and Ranee Thakar. Catherine, Princess of Wales became its patron in 2018, taking over from the Duchess of Cambridge. The organisation sets standards to improve women’s health worldwide and runs two principal examinations for doctors. These exams test knowledge in obstetrics and gynaecology through written and clinical sections. Visitors find a professional headquarters with meeting rooms and examination suites. The building houses journals such as BJOG, a widely read monthly publication. Portraits of past presidents line the corridors, showing the college’s century-long history. A calm atmosphere reflects its focus on education and patient care. The location near the Thames offers easy access to London’s transport links.