February 3 – IEFS

On this day, 3 February 1821, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol (England). Blackwell was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, a country where she worked for most of her life, as well as the first woman to enter the medical register of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom.

At the age of 11, in 1832, his family was forced to move to New York in search of better opportunities. A few years later, his father passed away, leaving Blackwell to work to support his family. She began to devote herself to teaching, one of the few professions in which women were socially accepted at the time. However, Blackwell soon realized that his true interest lay in medicine. He was systematically rejected by every medical college he attempted to enroll in, until he finally gained admission to Geneva Medical College in New York (now Syracuse University). Thus, in 1847, Blackwell became the first woman to receive higher medical education in the United States.

Her professional achievements include the founding of the New York Women’s and Children’s Hospital, as well as the London School of Medicine for Women upon her return to England. Throughout her career, Blackwell took advantage of her position to advance the education of women in medicine. She also became a strong supporter of women’s right to education. Today, the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, an award given to women who have contributed to promoting the presence of women in the world of medicine, is named in her honor.