Know All About Elizabeth Blackwell, The First Woman Doctor In The USA
Elizabeth Blackwell, the first lady doctor in the United States, who pioneered the concept of educating women in medical sciences, herself rose against all the hardships to be the first woman doctor registered by the UK. Elizabeth was born in Bristol, England in the year 1821. She was the third of the nine children born to Samuel Blackwell and his wife Hannah.
Initial Years
Elizabeth’s father never showed any kind of gender discrimination. He gave home tuition to his daughters and did not deprive them from education. After her father’s death, she took up a teaching job in Kentucky and raised money for her education. She had a strong desire to practice medicine; she took up residence in a physician’s household. She studied in between her work and referred to the family medical library. In 1845, she went to Asheville, North Carolina where she read medicine in the home of Dr. John Dickson. Later, she studied with his brother Dr. Samuel Dickson in Charleston, South Carolina. She finally decided to take formal education and worked towards it.
Her college struggle
Elizabeth was rejected by all the schools , where she had applied and by almost all the other schools as well. Her application came to the Geneva Medical College, New York. The administration asked the students to decide whether to admit her or not. The students took it as a practical joke and got it endorsed, but when they discovered that she was serious, both the students and the township people became wild. At first, they made her stay outside the classroom and even out of practical medical demonstrations. She was opposed by all just because she was a woman. Later however, impressed by her hard work and a strong desire to pursue a doctor’s degree, some students became friends with her. Lastly with her persistence and determination, she struggled to achieve her graduation degree in January 1849, and thereby became the first woman doctor in a male dominated era.
