Early years

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Elizabeth (Bess)  Blackwell was born in Bristol, England in 1821 into a family of abolitionists and women's rights advocates.

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At the age of 11, Bess moved with her family to Cincinnati, Ohio. ​Blackwell attributes her inspiration to pursue medicine to a close friend who believed that having a female doctor would have made her illness more bearable.

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Education

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Bess was acceptance to Geneva College in New York, which was interpreted by many as a joke, but her determination and skill quickly earned her the respect of her peers.

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Sh graduated at the top of her class in 1849. Her thesis on Typhoid fever was published in the Buffalo Medical Journal and Monthly Review, making her the first woman in America to publish a medical article.

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Legacy

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 In New York City, Bess made significant contributions to public health and medical education. In 1857, she co-founded the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children, which provided much-needed medical care to underserved populations, while also offering clinical training opportunities for female medical students and nurses. Later in 1868, she established the Women's Medical College of the New York Infirmary to formally educate and train women in medicine. ​​

 

Bess passed away in 1910. Despite facing discrimination throughout her life, Bess left a lasting legacy as a pioneer for women in the medical profession, exemplifying resilience and determination in the face of adversity.