Flaminio Rota: Fame and Glory of a 16th Century Anatomist without Scientific Publications

Gianfranco Natale, Paola Soldani, Marco Gesi and Emanuele Armocida
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Gianfranco Natale: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Paola Soldani: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Marco Gesi: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Emanuele Armocida: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-12

Abstract: Academic activity is intrinsically composed of two aspects: teaching and research. Since the 20th century, the aphorism “publish or perish” has overwhelmingly established itself in the academic field. Research activity has absorbed more attention from the professors who have neglected teaching activity. In anatomical sciences, research has focused mainly on ultrastructural anatomy and biochemical aspects, far removed from the topics addressed to medical students. Will today’s anatomists be rewarded by their choice? To generate a forecast, we should entrust what history has already taught us. For this analysis, an example was taken, concerning the fate that history reserved for the anatomy teachers of the University of Bologna in the second half of the 16th century. Thanks to Vesalius (1514–1564), experimentation on the human body replaced the old dogmatic knowledge, and didactic innovation was one with research. Some figures were highly praised despite their poor scientific production. The present article focuses on the figure of Flaminio Rota, who was highly esteemed by his colleagues in spite of no significant scientific activity. Reasons for this paradox are examined. Then, history also whispers to us: publish, but without perishing in the oblivion of students.

Keywords: Flaminio Rota; University of Bologna; human anatomy; university teaching; university research; history of medicine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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