Today, we celebrate the fifth annual National Women Physicians Day on the 201st birthday of Elizabeth Blackwell – the first woman to earn a medical degree in America.
Not surprising, the road to that degree was not an easy one; Blackwell was rejected by 29 programs before finally being accepted by a small New York college in 1847. Two years later, she graduated first in her class, a monumental personal and historic achievement. Despite being the lone female physician in the country at that time, Blackwell stared down society’s prejudices, going on to build a medical practice, establish a medical college for women, and campaign for reform in the medical profession.
An inspiration and a true pioneer, Blackwell’s perseverance and dedication blazed a trail for countless women.
In honor of this important day, we would like to recognize and thank the women physicians on our faculty and in our residency and fellowship programs for their strength, determination, and leadership – and for the outstanding care they provide to our patients every day.
