Elizabeth Blackwell

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Blackwell, and I was the very first woman in America to become a doctor. I was born a long, long time ago, on February 3rd, 1821, in a city called Bristol in England. When I was a little girl, my family and I sailed across the big ocean. We moved to America in 1832. I loved to read books and learn new things more than anything. From a young age, I always knew in my heart that I wanted to find a way to help people feel better when they were not well.

One day, a dear friend of mine became very sick. She told me something that I never forgot. She said she wished she had a woman doctor to take care of her. Her words planted a big idea in my head, like a tiny seed. I thought, 'Why can't women be doctors?'. In those days, only men were allowed to go to special schools to become doctors. It was a rule that I just knew was not fair. So, I wrote letters to 29 different medical schools, asking if I could please come and study. Every single one of them wrote back and said no. They didn't think a woman could do a doctor's important job. But I did not give up on my dream.

Finally, after so many 'no's, one school said yes! In 1847, a small school called Geneva Medical College in New York told me I could come. When I got there, the male students thought it was a joke that a woman was in their class. But I was very serious about learning. I worked harder than anyone to show them all that a woman could be a great student and an even better doctor. In 1849, I graduated at the very top of my class! It was one of the proudest days of my life. After I became a doctor, I wanted to help other women. So, in 1857, my sister Emily, who also became a doctor, and I opened our own hospital in New York City. It was a special place where women and children could be cared for by women doctors.

I wanted to make sure other women who dreamed of being doctors had a place to learn, too. So, in 1868, I helped start a medical college just for them. I lived to be 89 years old, and I spent my whole life working to make the world a healthier and fairer place for everyone. People remember me today because I opened a big door for women all over the world. I showed everyone that with hard work and lots of determination, you can be the very first to do something amazing.