Women Medical Students 1812 – Overlooked Talents

In 1957, a survey of male doctors in the United States elicited striking responses such as "I would prefer a third-rate male doctor to a first-rate female doctor" and "Women were created to be wives to their husbands". Yet in ancient times, women's participation in medical practice was more widely accepted. Women physicians were a notable presence in ancient Egypt, but the practice declined in the West over time, and by the Middle Ages the number of women doctors had fallen to almost zero.

James Barry graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1812 and served as a military surgeon at British Army garrisons for 40 years. Barry became known as a passionate reformer seeking to improve the health of soldiers and civilians, and became the first British surgeon in Africa to save the lives of both a mother and her child. However, during preparations following Barry's death in 1865, an attendant discovered that Barry was a woman. Most historians believe that Barry's true identity was Margaret Ann Bulkley and that Bulkley chose to live as a man in order to pursue a medical career. This makes Bulkley/Barry the first woman physician to have received medical training in Britain.

In modern times, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to be admitted to and graduate from medical school without presenting herself as a man. She was also the first woman to receive the title of medical doctor in the United States.

When Blackwell applied to study medicine at Geneva University in New York, the faculty had the students vote on whether she should be admitted. Most students thought her application was a joke and voted to accept her. They were greatly shocked when Blackwell actually enrolled. After graduating in 1849 and being barred from working in most hospitals, Blackwell went to Paris to develop her practical knowledge. In 1857, she founded a hospital for poor women and children in New York.

Description of the Article Image: Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to receive the title of medical doctor in the United States. She graduated from Geneva University in New York in 1849.

Historical Figures Mentioned in This Article: Dorothea Christiane Erxleben (née Leporin; 1715–1762), James Barry (1792–1865), Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910)

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