Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman in the United States to Receive a Medical Degree
Elizabeth Blackwell was a pioneering figure in the field of medicine, best known for being the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree, which she earned on January 23, 1849, from the Medical Institution of Geneva, New York. Born on February 3, 1821, in Bristol, England, Blackwell was raised in a progressive family that encouraged her and her sisters to pursue careers beyond traditional roles. After moving to the United States in 1832 and facing various challenges, including the death of her father, she began her journey toward medicine through independent study and tutoring, as formal medical education was largely inaccessible to women at the time.
In 1848, Geneva College admitted her, reportedly as a joke, but Blackwell won respect throughout her studies. After graduating, she faced significant discrimination when starting her medical practice in New York City. However, she eventually established the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1856 with the help of her sister and a female colleague, creating a supportive environment for women in medicine. Blackwell later spent her final years in England, advocating for women's rights and opportunities in the medical field until her passing on May 31, 1910. Her legacy continues to influence the inclusion of women in medicine.
Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman in the United States to Receive a Medical Degree
Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman in the United States to Receive a Medical Degree
On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell made history when the Medical Institution of Geneva, New York, awarded her a medical degree, making her the first woman in the United States to officially become a doctor. Previously, women had been limited to such roles as midwives and nurses.
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol, England, on February 3, 1821. She was raised in a socially progressive family, and her father was active in the social reform movements of the time. She and her sisters were encouraged to consider careers outside the home, a concept that was almost unheard of in that day and age. In 1832, after her father's business was destroyed by fire, the family immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City.
In 1838, the family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Elizabeth's father passed away. In order to support themselves, the Blackwells opened a boarding school, and Elizabeth learned how to teach. In 1842 she left Cincinnati to accept a position in Henderson, Kentucky, and in 1844 she moved again to Asheville, North Carolina. There she began to pursue her interest in medicine, and she began to study both privately and with the assistance of some male doctors willing to tutor her. For several years, these means of independent study were all that were available to her, as her efforts to seek admission to a medical school were fruitless. In 1848, however, Geneva College in upstate New York granted her request for admission. Whether Geneva's decision was due to its progressive tendencies is questionable, as several sources indicate that she was admitted simply as a practical joke. Apparently the faculty submitted the matter to the student body (all male, of course), stipulating that the application would have to be unanimously approved if Blackwell was going to be admitted. The student body, finding some humor in the situation, did not cast a single negative vote.
At the time, the required curriculum was only one year long. Apparently, Elizabeth gained some measure of respect from her professors and fellow students. A hospital in Philadelphia allowed her to treat patients in the summer of 1848, although again her peers were reluctant to accept her.
After graduating from Geneva on January 23, 1849, Dr. Blackwell left for Europe to pursue additional studies in medicine. In 1851 she returned to New York City and opened her own practice. She was shunned by her fellow doctors and by the public, but in 1856 her sister and another female friend, both of whom had recently also attended medical school, joined her enterprise. The team eventually founded a hospital, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. The institution prospered, and established a medical school for women that would graduate hundreds of female doctors before it merged in 1899 with the Medical School of Cornell University.
Dr. Blackwell spent most of her final years in England, where she continued to teach and advocate increased opportunities for women in the medical profession. She died in Hastings, England, on May 31, 1910.