International Women's Day 2023

To celebrate International Women's Day today, I thought I would share a few vignettes about women and MedChi.

• In 1882, the Women's Medical College was founded by several members of the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty. The aim was to provide a medical college of the highest standard for women. A preliminary exam was given to all applicants in order to be admitted. There were on-site clinics and labs, and for practical experience, the students worked at Good Samaritan Hospital and at the Evening Dispensary for Working Women and Girls.
• In 1885, the Constitution of the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland was ammended to change the word "gentlemen" to "persons." This simple change meant that women and Blacks could be admitted to the membership of the Faculty. Five of the earliest female members were also very active in the sufferagette movement.
• In 1896, Sir William Osler, MD hired Marcia Crocker Noyes as the first librarian at MedChi. She went on to become the organization's Secretary, and founded the Medical Library Association, among many other accomplishments. 
• In 2002, MedChi's first woman President, Catherine Smoot-Haselnus, M.D., a board-certified ophthalmologist, was elected.
• In 2004, Willarda Edwards, MD became the first Black woman President of MedChi. She spent ten years in the Navy, both on active duty and at Bethesda Naval Hospital. She has been active on the national level at the AMA.
• Currently, nearly 40% of MedChi members identify as female. There is gender parity on MedChi's Board of Directors, and many of the senior staff at MedChi are Women. 
• Half of all current medical students are women.

To see more posts about women, please click here.