Elizabeth Blackwell

Hello, my name is Elizabeth Blackwell. I was born in a busy city called Bristol, England, on February 3rd, 1821. My family was big and full of life, and in 1832, we all packed up and moved across the great Atlantic Ocean to start a new life in America. I have a little secret to share with you. When I was a young girl, I never dreamed of becoming a doctor. In fact, I thought the idea of studying the human body was a bit yucky and unpleasant!

Everything changed for me around the year 1845. A very dear friend of mine became quite sick, and during one of our talks, she told me how much she wished she could be cared for by a woman doctor. At that time, there were no women doctors. Her words stayed with me and planted a powerful seed in my mind. What if I could be the one to do it? When I shared my idea, everyone told me it was impossible. They said that medicine was a job only for men. Hearing that only made me more determined to try.

My journey to medical school was not easy. I studied very hard all by myself, reading every medical book I could find. Then, I started applying to medical schools. I sent letters to 29 different schools, and every single one sent back a letter that said 'no.' It was very discouraging, but I refused to give up. Finally, in October of 1847, a special letter arrived. It was from a small school in New York called Geneva Medical College. They had accepted me! I found out later that the male students had voted 'yes' as a joke, thinking a woman would never actually come. But I didn't care about their joke. I packed my bags because I was finally on my way to becoming a doctor.

My first days at medical school were lonely. Some of the other students and even people in the town were not very kind to me. They didn't think a woman belonged there. But I didn't let their words stop me. I put all of my energy into my studies, and I worked harder than anyone else. Slowly but surely, I began to earn the respect of my teachers and my classmates. Then, on the very special day of January 23rd, 1849, I walked across the stage to receive my diploma. I had done it. I was officially Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree.

Graduating was a huge victory, but my work was just beginning. Even with my degree, no hospital wanted to hire a woman doctor. If the world wouldn't make a place for me, I decided I would have to build one myself. In 1857, my sister Emily, who had followed me and also become a doctor, joined me. Together with our friend, Dr. Marie Zakrzewska, we opened our very own hospital. We called it the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. It was a place where poor women and children could receive excellent medical care from women doctors who understood them.

To help even more women follow their dreams, we opened a medical college for women at our hospital in 1868. I spent the rest of my life working hard to improve healthcare and create more opportunities for women in medicine. I lived to be 89 years old. When I look back, I am so proud that my promise to a friend helped open the door for thousands of women to become the doctors, surgeons, and healers they were always meant to be. My story shows that with determination, you can be the first to do something amazing.