Oral History Program

The Oral History Program was begun in 1982 to record the work experiences of the most senior and longest-practicing medical doctors in the state. It was prompted by the approach of the 100th anniversary year of the New Mexico Medical Society, and was to serve as background for a centennial book about the society's members and their work as physicians in New Mexico. That volume, Doctors of Medicine in New Mexico, A History of Health and Medical Practice, 1886-1986, by Jake W. Spidle, Jr., was published by UNM Press in 1986.

The Southwest has a long tradition of healers practicing Native American medicine and Hispanic curandarismo. The Oral History Program hopes to record stories of these practitioners as well. Transcripts of more than 160 oral history interviews currently are available for research use in the library.

With a grant from the UNM School of Medicine's Khatali Medical Alumni Association, HSLIC has begun work on digitizing the oral history transcripts to provide online access. Currently there are six oral history transcripts online.

General Copyright Notice

The University of New Mexico holds or administers the copyright on all of its oral histories. Permission to cite or quote must be requested in writing from the NMHHC Archivist.