Uncovering the Untold Stories of Women in Medicine

The role of women in medicine and healing has been traced back to several centuries ago. Women were not allowed to enter medical schools in many countries, including the United Kingdom, until the late nineteenth century. Historically, only the rich could afford university-trained medical practitioners for treatment, while others sought help from female healers who were called ‘wise women’ or sometimes ‘witches.’¹

The knowledge of herbal remedies was passed down from generation to generation and was often practiced by female healers.² Historically, the practice of herbal medicine was opposed by the church because it felt that the medicinal benefits would demean the power of prayers. Furthermore, it would decrease the value of medical licenses that were issued by the church to university-trained doctors. Women as healers were not looked upon favorably, and witch-hunting was encouraged throughout Europe.³

Many women enrolled to study medicine in the early twentieth century after medical schools that catered exclusively to women were established. Some of the latest and historical contributions of women in the field of medicine are discussed below:

Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895)

Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American woman to earn an MD degree in the United States of America. She worked as a nurse for eight years and consequently gained admission to the New England Female Medical College in Boston. She completed her education in 1864 and became the first black woman to graduate from the school.⁵ 

Susie King Taylor (1848-1912)

Susie King Taylor was born into slavery and secretly attended a school where she learned how to read and write. During the Civil War, she volunteered for the Army’s first Black regiment, where she became the first black army nurse. Taylor opened the first school for black students in Georgia after the war.⁶

Kadambini Ganguli (1861–1923)

She was the woman of many firsts. Ganguli was the first woman graduate of India and the first Indian woman physician to graduate and practice Western medicine. She overcame many societal obstacles and pursued further medical studies in the United Kingdom. Upon completion of her degree, she returned to India and practiced medicine.⁷

Gerty Cori (1896-1957)

She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Grety Cori emigrated to the US from Prague after completing a doctorate in medicine. She researched how the human body processes sugar and produces insulin and hormones. Cori later joined Washington University in St. Louis as a professor of biochemistry.⁸

Virginia Apgar (1909-1974)

She was the first director of Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital’s anesthesia department in 1938. Even though Virginia Apgar studied anesthesiology, she continued to explore the effects of labor, and delivery on a newborn’s health. At present, a child’s Apgar score is considered the gold standard to determine the health of the newborn. In her 50s, she focussed on the ways to prevent birth defects.⁹

Tu Youyou (1930-)

Tu Youyou is an eminent Chinese scientist and phytochemist who isolated the antimalarial component qinghaosu, later renamed artemisinin, a leading anti-malarial drug. She won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for her medicinal discoveries.¹⁰

Patricia Bath (1942-2019)

Patricia Bath was a humanitarian and ophthalmologist from the USA who invented the Laserphaco Probe for cataract treatment. She was the first African-American female doctor to be awarded a medical patent.¹¹

Maria Elena Bottazzi (1966-)

Maria Elena Bottazzi is continuing her work to develop vaccines for neglected tropical diseases such as Chagas, hookworm, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis. Although these diseases can be fatal, they are not paid much attention to in developed countries. Bottazzi’s research aims to change this thought process and save the poorest population from these tropical diseases through vaccination.¹²

In recent years, the number of female medical students has outnumbered males in many countries. Gender differences are more significant in part-time working arrangements, perhaps because the flexibility attracts female doctors more. Currently, the average hours worked by female doctors in the UK is increasing gradually.

Interestingly, the number of female and male doctors choosing to work full-time instead of part-time has also increased substantially. It has been observed that for female doctors, spousal support for childcare and domestic responsibilities is an important factor in their career progression.

The history of women in medicinePlay