Profile of the Day: Elizabeth Blackwell

On this day in 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in the United States, was born in Bristol, England.

Image: Elizabeth Blackwell / National Library of Medicine, Wikimedia Commons

Blackwell was raised in a liberal household with a strong emphasis on education. In 1832, her father, Samuel Blackwell, moved the family to United States. When he died in 1838, he left the family in great debt. To help make ends meet, Blackwell, her older sisters, and her mother opened a private school.

In her 20s, she began to seriously pursue an education in medicine despite facing challenges and prejudices from members of the medical community. On January 23, 1849, Blackwell became the first woman to achieve a medical degree in the United States. She later returned to the UK and set up her own private practice. A pioneer in promoting the education of women in medicine, Blackwell helped pave the way for future female physicians.

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