03/30/2026
How many of these pioneering have you heard of? Beyond healing patients as physicians, these women were leaders, writers, activists, and advocates who made history curing society's ills.
⚕️Elizabeth Blackwell: The first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree, Blackwell was also the first woman on the UK's Medical Register of the General Medical Council. Along with her sister Emily (also a physician), she founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children.
⚕️ Rebecca Lee Crumpler: The first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., Crumpler began her medical career as a nurse. When she attended New England Female Medical College to earn a medical degree, she was the only Black student. Crumpler was also one of the first female physicians to publish work in the 19th century ("A Book of Medical Discourses" came out in 1883).
⚕️ Susan La Flesche Picotte: A member of the Omaha tribe, Picotte was the first Indigenous woman to earn a medical degree. She was also a public health activist who educated members of the Omaha reservation about health and campaigned to prevent tuberculosis. She often made house calls on her horse, Pie, and would prepare food for patients who couldn't afford care.
⚕️Antonia Novello: Born in Puerto Rico, Novello was the first woman and the first Hispanic physician to hold the position of U.S. Surgeon General. While serving, she focused on the health of women, children, and minorities, and launched initiatives to curb youth to***co use, improve care for people living with AIDs, and raise awareness about domestic violence.
⚕️Margaret Chung: Affectionately known as "Mom" by the many soldiers she cared for during WWII, Chung was the first American-born Chinese woman to earn a medical degree. She founded one of the first Western medical clinics in San Francisco's Chinatown and lobbied for the creation of WAVES, the US Naval Women’s Reserve.
⚕️Marie Equi: Regarded as one of the first openly gay female physicians in the U.S. (if not the first), Equi was devoted to the health of women and children. She actively promoted reproductive health and rights, lobbied on social issues such as labor reform and fair wages, and campaigned for women's suffrage.