Women in Medicine

Today is National Women Physicians Day. It commemorates the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, back in 1869. Today is a celebration in honor of not just her but all the terrific women that have paved the way for women like me to consider a future in medicine.

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell

Although we now have women representing over 35% of the physicians in the U.S. and growing steadily, it was a difficult path paved with prejudice and opposition. It took great fortitude on her part to gain admission to a medical college (she was rejected by 10 schools and accepted by the college she attended only because they thought it was a joke!) and later practice medicine.

As hard as it was for women in recent history to become doctors, the practice was not so shocking in ancient times. The first female physician in western medicine was Metrodora, a Greek doctor who lived around 200-400 CE. She not only treated patients and pioneered surgical treatments for breast and uterine cancers but also wrote the first medical book written by a woman, titled On the Diseases and Cures of Women. But even before her time, ancient Egypt had female physicians, even as long ago as 2700 BCE. So it is tragic that society went backward in terms of gender equity and required pioneering women like Dr. Blackwell and Virginia Apgar (my own inspiration after a biography project in 6th grade) to fight their way into a field that women are naturally inclined to excel in.

Metradora, the first Greek female physician

Thanks to these incredible women, the future is looking bright for women in medicine again. In fact, the majority of medical school students (50.5%) in the U.S. were women in 2019, and I hope that number can continue to climb.

Sources:

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/diversity/initiatives/women/history
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-women-physicians-day-february-3/

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