About
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol, England, in 1821. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1832. She became the first woman to earn an M.D. degree in the United States, graduating first in her class from Geneva Medical College in 1849. After losing sight in one eye, she abandoned her ambition to become a surgeon. She published 'The Laws of Life' in 1852 and co-founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857, the first women-managed hospital in the U.S. In 1859, she was the first woman on the British medical register. During the Civil War, she helped organize the Woman's Central Association of Relief. In 1868, she founded the Woman's Medical College.
* 1821-02-03 — † 1910-05-28
Major works
- The Laws of Life, with Special Reference to the Physical Education of Girls (1852)essay
- Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to Women (1895)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1849First woman to earn an M.D. degree in the United States, graduating first in her class from Geneva Medical College.
- 1857Co-founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, the first women-managed hospital in the U.S.
- 1874Co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women.
Themes
Medical education for womenWomen's rightsAbolitionismPublic healthSocial reform
Sources: nlm.nih.gov · britannica.com · circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov