The Remarkable Journey of Women in Medicine: Breaking Barriers and Saving Lives
Throughout history, women in medicine have transformed healthcare through their brilliance, tenacity, and compassion.
Their legacy isn't merely about individual achievement—it's about fundamentally reimagining what medicine could be.
Against formidable odds, they've created innovations that continue to save millions of lives today.
Pioneers Who Refused to Be Silenced
When Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910) applied to medical school in 1847, her admission was meant to be a joke. The all-male student body at Geneva Medical College voted her in, assuming she would never actually attend. But she did. She endured isolation and hostility, yet persevered—graduating first in her class and becoming America’s first female physician.
Blackwell didn’t just break barriers; she used her platform to advocate for social and economic justice in healthcare. Her first medical thesis on typhoid fever, published in 1849, was the first article by a female medical student in the U.S. It reflected her deep empathy for patients and commitment to improving public health.
Determined to expand her knowledge, she traveled to Europe to continue her studies. Facing rejection from many hospitals because of her gender, she enrolled at La Maternité in Paris, where she trained as a midwife instead of a physician. Even so, she impressed Paul Dubois, one of France’s top obstetricians, who declared she could become the best obstetrician in the U.S., male or female.
Believing she could make a greater impact back home, Blackwell returned to New York in 1851. Instead of pursuing a comfortable private practice, she founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, providing medical care to underserved patients and opening doors for generations of female physicians. Her resilience and vision transformed medicine—not just for women, but for everyone.
Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845-1926) knew that nursing could be more than servitude. In 1879, at age 34, she entered nursing school where the dropout rate exceeded 90%. Working 16-hour days, facing both racial and gender discrimination, Mahoney not only graduated but distinguished herself with such exceptional care that she helped transform the perception of nursing itself. By co-founding the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, she ensured her breakthrough wasn't just personal—she institutionalized change that opened doors for countless others.
Revolutionary Thinkers Who Changed Medicine Forever
Marie Curie (1867–1934) was a physicist and chemist whose groundbreaking discoveries reshaped science and medicine. As the first woman to win a Nobel Prize—and the only person to win in two scientific fields—Curie’s work with radioactivity laid the foundation for modern cancer treatments, diagnostic imaging, and radiation therapy. She discovered polonium and radium, opening the door to the use of radiation in medicine, particularly in the fight against cancer. Her development of mobile X-ray units during World War I, known as “Little Curies,” provided battlefield doctors with life-saving technology to diagnose injuries quickly. Beyond her scientific achievements, Curie broke barriers for women in science, proving that brilliance and perseverance know no gender. Her legacy isn’t just in textbooks—it lives on in every radiation therapy used to treat cancer, every X-ray that guides a doctor’s hand, and in the countless lives her discoveries continue to impact today.
Virginia Apgar (1909-1974) was redirected from surgery to anesthesiology—then considered a lesser specialty—simply because she was a woman. Instead of accepting this limitation, she revolutionized the field. When Apgar observed that many "healthy" newborns were dying shortly after birth, she developed a scoring system to quickly assess their condition. Despite initial skepticism from male colleagues, she persisted, methodically gathering data until the evidence was irrefutable. Today, the Apgar Score is used worldwide, saving countless infant lives. One brilliant woman, blocked from her chosen path, created a new one that protected millions of the most vulnerable patients.
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1910-1994) pursued her scientific passion despite working in a basement laboratory while her male counterparts enjoyed proper facilities. Using X-ray crystallography, she revealed the three-dimensional structures of penicillin, vitamin B12, and insulin—work that would earn her the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. When asked how she accomplished such tremendous work despite raising three children and navigating gender discrimination, she replied that scientific discovery requires "a pattern of living that makes it possible to work whenever the spirit moves you." Her discoveries led directly to life-saving medical treatments we rely on today.
Jane Cooke Wright (1919-2013) was a pioneering cancer researcher and surgeon noted for her contributions to chemotherapy. Born in 1919, she revolutionized how doctors tested cancer drugs, developing the innovative technique of using human tissue cultures instead of laboratory mice—a breakthrough that made treatments more precise and effective. She also pioneered the use of methotrexate to treat breast and skin cancer, laying the foundation for modern chemotherapy.
By the age of 33, Dr. Wright was already making history as the director of the Cancer Research Foundation at Harlem Hospital. She developed new ways to deliver chemotherapy using a catheter system, making treatment more accessible and efficient. Her contributions extended far beyond research—she broke gender barriers, becoming a respected leader in oncology at a time when few women held such roles.
Dr. Wright co-founded the American Society of Clinical Oncology and became the first woman to lead the New York Cancer Society, paving the way for future generations of women in medicine. Her legacy is one of resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to improving patients' lives. Her story is not just about medicine—it’s about the power of perseverance and breaking barriers to shape a better future for all.
Why These Stories Matter Beyond Medicine
The legacies of Elizabeth Blackwell, Mary Eliza Mahoney, Virginia Apgar, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, and Jane Cooke Wright transcend medicine itself. These women didn't simply practice healthcare—they reimagined it through perspectives that their male counterparts couldn't provide.
Research confirms their impact wasn't merely symbolic. Studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveal that patients treated by female physicians experience lower mortality rates and fewer hospital readmissions. When Dr. Wright pioneered chemotherapy protocols in the 1950s, she introduced the revolutionary concept that extending life meant little without preserving its quality—a patient-centered approach that has since become fundamental to modern care.
What makes these stories particularly powerful is the magnitude of what they overcame. They didn't simply face occasional bias; they confronted educational systems entirely closed to them, colleagues who refused collaboration, and societies that questioned their basic competence. Yet instead of merely surviving these circumstances, they used their outsider perspectives to see opportunities others missed.
Consider Virginia Apgar, denied her rightful place in surgery. Rather than accepting defeat, she created a scoring system that has since protected millions of newborns. Her exclusion from one field became the catalyst for innovation in another.
These women's stories offer a profound truth: diversity in medicine isn't just a moral imperative—it's a practical necessity for medical advancement. Different perspectives see different problems and imagine different solutions. The evidence speaks for itself: when we remove barriers to participation, patients receive better care.
For anyone facing obstacles today, these pioneers offer a powerful reminder: your unique viewpoint matters. The very things that make your journey difficult may enable you to see opportunities for transformation that others cannot. The question isn't whether you'll face resistance—it's what breakthrough might emerge from your response to it.
The world doesn't advance through comfortable conformity. It changes when determined individuals refuse to accept artificial limitations and instead channel their frustration into innovation. These women didn't simply join the medical establishment—they fundamentally improved it.
Their example calls us to action. What barriers will you transform into breakthroughs? What seemingly immovable obstacles might become the foundation for your greatest contribution? The future of medicine awaits your unique perspective.
The Continuing Journey - Keep Moving Forward
The story of women in medicine isn't historical—it's ongoing. Despite comprising more than half of medical school graduates today, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions and certain specialties. The gender pay gap persists, with female physicians earning significantly less than their male counterparts for equivalent work.
Yet the tide continues to turn. Each boundary crossed makes the next crossing more possible. As Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (is a Nigerian economist, who has been serving as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, wisely noted: "I believe that when you find problems, you should also find solutions.”)
By sharing these stories, we acknowledge the progress made while recognizing that there’s still work to do. Whether you’re a medical student, a healthcare professional, or simply someone who values fairness and progress, understanding and amplifying the experiences of women in medicine helps drive change far beyond the hospital setting.
The legacy of women in medicine isn't just about breaking barriers—it's about healing bodies, advancing science, and fundamentally transforming how healthcare is delivered. Their dedication deserves not just recognition, but continued support as they shape a future where talent and compassion—not gender—determine one's path in medicine.
So, to all the women aspiring to make a difference—whether as doctors, nurses, researchers, or advocates—know that the path ahead is yours to create. The legacy of women in medicine is waiting for you to add your chapter. Your contributions can change the face of healthcare, just as these incredible women have done before you.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on Women in Medicine.
Feel free to share your insights or join the discussion in the comments!
If you’re curious and something caught your interest, take the time to find below a few references to explore and broaden your perspective.
Davis, Althea T. "Mary Eliza Mahoney, 1845–1926." In Early Black American Leaders in Nursing: Architects for Integration and Equality, edited by Althea T. Davis and Paul K. Davis, 25–61. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 1999.
Chayer, Mary Ella. 1954. "Mary Eliza Mahoney." The American Journal of Nursing 54 (4): 429–431.
Calmes, Selma H. MD. Dr. Virginia Apgar and the Apgar Score: How the Apgar Score Came to Be. Anesthesia & Analgesia 120(5):p 1060-1064, May 2015.
Amschler, Denise, ed. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Farmington Hills: Gale, 1999.
Goldsmith, Barbara. Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Oakes, Elizabeth. International encyclopedia of women scientists. New York: Facts on File, 2002
