| Long gone are the days when women had a very | | | | have specialized in fields such as neurological surgery |
| difficult time before they could go to medical school. | | | | and cardiovascular surgery, which were previously |
| Remember Elizabeth Blackwell? She was the first | | | | considered as "masculine" medical areas. Women have |
| woman to have graduated from medical school. She | | | | strengthened themselves by forming organizations |
| was turned down by several schools before she was | | | | such as the American Medical Women's Association, |
| finally admitted to the Geneva Medical College in New | | | | which seeks to empower women in medicine. More |
| York. She graduated top of her class in 1849. That | | | | and more women are being welcomed to various |
| was 160 years ago. How have women's roles in the | | | | medical societies. Women are willing to pursue further |
| medical industry changed over time? | | | | studies in specialized medical areas even though they |
| During the 19th century, there were female nurses, | | | | may be wives and mothers at the same time, and |
| but they were only allowed to work as home nurses. | | | | schools accept these women. Despite this open |
| Hospital nursing was seen as part of the male domain. | | | | acceptance of women practitioners in the medical |
| At the end of this century, women's hospitals and | | | | industry however, there are still thorny issues being |
| women medical schools were already established, but | | | | faced by females. Some sectors of society still |
| there was still much opposition to the idea of women | | | | believe that women doctors should confine |
| being part of the medical industry. Even their own | | | | themselves to specific fields of medicine, such as |
| families were against their desire to be nurses or | | | | obstetrics or gynecology. Some also think that |
| doctors. | | | | women give less work time than men do, because of |
| The first half of the 20th century did not see much | | | | their family duties and unavoidable maternity leaves. |
| improvement in women's roles in the medical industry, | | | | The best proof that gender inequalities still exist in |
| either. Women who graduated from medical school | | | | the medical workplace is the existence of institutions |
| more often than not stopped practicing once they | | | | which are created particularly to address these issues. |
| were married or had children. This could have been | | | | The Association of American Medical Colleges' |
| brought about by a number of factors - personal | | | | (AAMC) Women in Medicine program is one such |
| choice, pressure from society or demands by their | | | | institution. Although it focuses on medicine in the |
| husbands. When feminism rose in the 1960s however, | | | | academic sector, it shows that women still need |
| developments started taking place. The number of | | | | assistance in order to be fully accepted in certain |
| female students in medical colleges started to rise. | | | | areas of the medical industry. |
| Today, women nurses and physicians are very | | | | Despite these setbacks however, we should |
| common in health centers and hospitals. Female | | | | celebrate the fact that women's roles in the medical |
| students abound in medical schools. Still more are | | | | industry have evolved and improved considerably |
| applying year after year. Many females occupy | | | | over time. We can definitely look forward to more |
| administrative positions in medical schools and | | | | improvements in the future. |
| hospitals. Women have become chief residents and | | | | |