Elizabeth Blackwell

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First woman to receive a medical degree in the United States

Elizabeth Blackwell (3 February 1821 – 31 May 1910) was a British physician, notable as the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council. She played a significant role in both the United States and the United Kingdom as a social and moral reformer, and pioneered the promotion of education for women in medicine.

Early Life

Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol, England, to Samuel Blackwell, a sugar refiner, and Hannah Lane Blackwell. In 1832, the family emigrated to the United States, settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. After her father's death in 1838, Blackwell and her sisters opened a school to support the family.

Medical Education

Blackwell's interest in medicine was sparked by a dying friend who expressed that her suffering would have been less if she had been treated by a female doctor. Despite facing significant opposition, Blackwell was accepted to Geneva Medical College in New York in 1847. She graduated in 1849, becoming the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

Career

After earning her degree, Blackwell continued her training in Europe, working in hospitals in Paris and London. In 1851, she returned to the United States and opened a small clinic in New York City. In 1857, she co-founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children with her sister, Emily Blackwell, and Dr. Marie Zakrzewska.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1869, Blackwell returned to the United Kingdom, where she continued to advocate for women's medical education. She helped establish the London School of Medicine for Women in 1874. Blackwell retired from medicine in 1877 but remained active in social reform movements until her death in 1910.

Related Pages

• Emily Blackwell
• Marie Zakrzewska
• New York Infirmary for Women and Children
• London School of Medicine for Women
• Geneva Medical College

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