The Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP) was founded in 1850, and was the second medical institution in the world established to train women in medicine to earn the M.D. degree. The

New England Female Medical College New England Female Medical College (NEFMC), originally Boston Female Medical College, was founded in 1848 by Samuel Gregory and was the first school to train women in the field of medicine. It merged with Boston University to become the Boston Uni ...

had been established two years earlier in 1848. Originally called the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, the college changed its name in 1867 to Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. The associated

Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia The Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia was established in 1861 to provide clinical experience for Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania students, a group of Quaker women, particularly Ann Preston. History Its purposes were to “establish in Phila ...

was founded in 1861. Upon deciding to admit men in 1970, the college was renamed as the Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP). In 1930, the college opened its new campus in

East Falls East Falls (also The Falls, formerly the Falls of Schuylkill) is a neighborhood in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It lies on the east bank of the "Falls of the Schuylkill," cataracts submerged in 1 ...

, which combined teaching and the clinical care of a hospital in one overall facility. It was the first purpose-built hospital in the nation. In 1993, the college and hospital merged with

Hahnemann Medical School Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The medical school represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the first U.S. medical school f ...

. In 2003, the two colleges were absorbed by the

Drexel University College of Medicine Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The medical school represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the first U.S. medical school ...

Founding

R.C. Smedley's ''History of the Underground Railroad'' cites Dr. Bartholomew Fussell with proposing, in 1846, the idea for a college that would train female doctors. It was a tribute to his departed sister, who Bartholomew believed could have been a doctor if women had been given the opportunity at that time. Her daughter,

Graceanna Lewis Graceanna Lewis (August 3, 1821 – February 25, 1912) was an American naturalist, illustrator, and social reformer. An expert in the field of ornithology, Lewis is remembered as a pioneer female American scientist as well as an activist in the ...

, was to become one of the first woman scientists in the United States. At a meeting at his house, The Pines, in

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Kennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over 500 million pounds of mushrooms a year, totaling half of the United ...

, Fussell invited five doctors to carry out his idea. The doctors invited were: Edwin Fussell (Bartholomew's nephew) M.D., Franklin Taylor, M.D., Ellwood Harvey, M.D., Sylvester Birdsall, M.D., and Dr. Ezra Michener. Graceanna also attended. Dr. Fussell would support the college, but had little to do with it after it started in 1850 in Philadelphia. Ellwood Harvey (who attended the 1846 meeting, but did not start teaching at the college until 1852), helped keep the school alive, along with Edwin Fussell. Dr. Harvey not only taught a full course load but took on a second load when another professor backed out. Dr. Harvey also continued his medical practice. Among his patients were

William Still William Still (October 7, 1821 – July 14, 1902) was an African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, businessman, writer, historian and civil rights activist. Before the Ameri ...

and his family. Still, a renowned Philadelphia abolitionist, became a historian of the Underground Railroad after keeping extensive records of fugitive slaves aided in Philadelphia rescues. Harvey was later sued for libel by Dr. Joseph S. Longshore, an instructor at the college who was forced out. Longshore started a rival women's medical college at the

Penn Medical University Penn Medical College was founded by Dr. Joseph S. Longshore in 1853,Gardner, Martha N. (2002)''Midwife, Doctor, or Doctress? The New England Female Medical College and Women's Place in Nineteenth-century Medicine and Society.''Doctoral dissertation ...

. Using his previous connections from the Female Medical College, Longshore began to raise money for his own college.

Clara Marshall Clara Marshall (May 8, 1847 – March 13, 1931) was an American physician, educator, and author. She was dean of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania from 1888 to 1917. Early life and education Clara Marshall was born in West Chester, Pe ...

(1847–1931) graduated from the college. She served as dean from 1888 to 1917 and thought of Edwin Fussell as the founder of the school. Other students credited Longshore and William J. Mullen as being primary founders in terms of their contributions. Most considered these three men, whether official founder or not, to be instrumental in the creation of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. The

Feminist Movement The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for Radical politics, radical and Liberalism, liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality b ...

during the early to mid 19th century generated support for the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. The

Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

in Philadelphia, a large group of

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

, were supportive of the women's rights movements and the development of the Female MCP. MCP was initially located in the rear of 229 Arch Street, Philadelphia (the address was later changed to 627 Arch Street when Philadelphia renumbered streets in 1858). In July 1861, the board of corporators of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania chose to rent rooms for the college from the Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia on North College Avenue.

Deans

The first dean of what was then known as the Female Medical College was a man: Nathaniel R. Mosely, appointed 1850–1856. The second dean was also a man, Edwin B. Fussell, who held the position from 1856 to 1866. From then on, the Woman's College had a long history of female deans, lasting almost 100 years. The first woman to be a dean of this (or any) medical school was

Ann Preston Ann Preston (December 1, 1813April 18, 1872) was an American physician, activist, and educator. Early life Ann Preston was the first woman dean of a medical school, the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP), which was the first medical ...

. The following women were deans of the college in the years stated: * 1866–1872,

* 1872–1874,

Emeline Horton Cleveland Emeline Horton Cleveland (September 22, 1829December 8, 1878) was an American physician and one of the first women to perform major abdominal or gynecological surgery in the United States. She became one of the first woman physicians associated wi ...

* 1874–1886,

Rachel Bodley Rachel Littler Bodley (December 7, 1831 – June 15, 1888) was an American professor, botanist, and university leader. She was best known for her term as Dean of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (1874–1888). She helped found the Amer ...

* 1886/1888–1917,

* 1917–1940,

Martha Tracy Martha Tracy (April 10, 1876 – March 22, 1942) served as dean of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP) from 1917 to 1940, leading the institution through the Great Depression. She created a department of preventive medicine within t ...

(Henry Jump served as interim dean during Tracy's sabbatical.) * 1940/1943–1943/1946, Margaret Craighill * 1946–1963,

Marion Spencer Fay Marion Spencer Fay (1898 – May 20, 1990) was an American physician, dean, teacher, and advocate. She was President and Dean of Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania The Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP) was founded in 18 ...

No woman was found to replace Marion Fay. After her, the position of dean was held by Glen R. Leymaster from 1964 to 1970, at which time the institution became known as the

Medical College of Pennsylvania Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The medical school represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the first U.S. medical schoo ...

Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia

In part to provide clinical experience for WMC students, a group of

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

women, particularly

, founded the Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia in 1861. In 1929, the West Philadelphia Hospital for Women merged with the Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia, retaining the latter's name.

Issues in clinical training

The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania faced difficulties in providing clinical training for its students.Peitzman (2000), ''A New and Untried Course'', p. 78 Almost all medical institutions were confronted with the demand for more clinical practice due to the rise of surgery, physical diagnosis, and clinical specialties. During the 1880s, clinical instruction at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania relied mainly on the demonstration clinics. In 1887,

Anna Broomall Anna Elizabeth Broomall (March 4, 1847 – April 4, 1931) was an American obstetrician, surgeon, and educator who taught obstetrics at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She established the first maternal health and prenatal care clin ...

, professor of

obstetrics Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgi ...

for the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, established a

maternity ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestati ...

outpatient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health care ...

service in a poor area of South Philadelphia for the purpose of student education. By 1895, many students cared for three or four women who were giving birth.

East Falls campus and Drexel University

In the late 1920s, the college raised money to build a new campus. Designed by Ritter & Shay, the most successful of the Philadelphia urban architecture firms in the 1920s, the East Falls Campus was the first purpose-built hospital in the nation. The design allowed both teaching and hospital care to take place in one facility, helping provide for more clinical care. Post-WWII housing shortages in the city were a catalyst for development of additions to the East Falls Campus, the first of which was the Ann Preston Building (designed by

Thaddeus Longstreth Thaddeus (Latin ''Thaddaeus'', Ancient Greek Θαδδαῖος ''Thaddaĩos'', from Aramaic תדי ''Ṯaday'') is a male given name. As of the 1990 Census, ''Thaddeus'' was the 611th most popular male name in the United States, while ''Thad'', ...

), which provided housing and classrooms for student nurses. 20091108 inq institut08-h

Today, the building is known as the Falls Center. It is operated by

Iron Stone Strategic Capital Partners Iron Stone Strategic Capital Partners (also called Iron Stone) is a real estate private equity firm located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that has a niche focus on value added real estate assets, the acquisition of real estate related operating ...

as student housing, commercial space, and medical offices. In 1993 the Medical College of Pennsylvania merged with

Hahnemann Medical College Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The medical school represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the first U.S. medical school ...

, retaining its Queen Lane campus. In 2003, the two medical colleges were absorbed as a part of

, creating new opportunities for the large student body for clinical practice in settings ranging from urban hospitals to small rural practices.

Notable alumnae

The following is a list of Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania alumni (by century of graduation and in alphabetical order by last name) who are notable for their medical career.

19th century

Caroline Still Anderson Caroline Still Anderson (November 1, 1848 – June 1 or 2, 1919) was an American physician, educator, and activist. She was a pioneering physician in the Philadelphia African-American community and one of the first Black women to become a physic ...

(class of 1878), one of the first African American female physicians * Saleni Armstrong-Hopkins (class of 1885), medical missionary in India * Anandibai Gopal Joshi (class of 1886), first female doctor from India *

Alice Bennett (Mary) Alice Bennett (January 31, 1851 – 1925) was a US physician and the first woman to obtain a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, Bennett was the first female superintendent in the women's section at the state hospital ...

(class of 1880), chief physician and first woman superintendent of the women's department of the State Hospital for the Insane in Norristown, Pennsylvania. *

(class of 1871), professor of obstetrics and founder of the first outpatient maternity and prenatal care clinic in the United States * Margaret F. Butler (class of 1894), professor of otorhinolaryngology and first woman to preside over an international congress of physicians *

Lucilla Green Cheney Lucilla Green Cheney, M.D. (July 15, 1853 – September 30, 1878) was an American physician and Christian missionary. Beginning in 1876, she served a medical mission in Bareilly, British India under the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Me ...

(class of 1875), medical missionary in India * Louise M. Harvey Clarke (class of 1892), writer, speaker, and clubwoman in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, California *

Isabel Cobb Isabel "Belle" Cobb (October 25, 1858 – August 11, 1947) was a Cherokee woman, physician and educator. Cobb is best known for being the first woman physician in Indian Territory. Early life and education Cobb was born near Morgantown, Tennesse ...

(class of 1892), first woman physician in

Indian territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

* Elizabeth D. A. Cohen (class of 1857), first woman licensed to practice medicine in the state of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. *

Rebecca Cole Rebecca J. Cole (March 16, 1846August 14, 1922) was an American physician, organization founder and social reformer. In 1867, she became the second African-American woman to become a doctor in the United States, after Rebecca Lee Crumpler three ...

(class of 1867), the second African-American female physician in the United States *

Lucinda L. Combs Lucinda L. Combs-Stritmatter (October 10, 1849April 23, 1919) was an American physician who was the first female Medical missions, medical missionary to provide medical care in China. She is credited with establishing the first women's hospital i ...

(class of 1870), first female medical missionary in China, started first Women's Hospital in

Peking } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson (October 17, 1864 – April 26, 1901) was an American physician. She was the first black woman, as well as woman of any race, to be licensed as a physician in Alabama. Biography Early years Johnson was born Halle Tann ...

, first female African American doctor in

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

* Mary J. Scarlett Dixon (class of 1857), physician * Caroline Matilda Dodson (class of 1874), physician *

Jane Lord Hersom Jane Lord Hersom (August 6, 1840 – November 29, 1928) was an American physician and suffragist. Biography Jane Lord was born in Sanford, Maine, August 6, 1840. Her father and mother, Samuel and Sophia Hight (Smith) Lord, were of English descen ...

(class of 1896), physician and suffragist *

Matilda Evans Matilda Evans, M.D., also known as Matilda Arabella Evans (May 13, 1866 – November 17, 1935) was the first African-American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina and an advocate for improved health care for African Americans, par ...

(class of 1897), first African American female physician licensed to practice in

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

* Louise Celia Fleming (class of 1895), first African American woman to attend and graduate * Elizabeth Follansbee (class of 1877), first female medical school faculty member in California and first female member of the

Los Angeles County Medical Association Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA) is a professional organization representing physicians from every medical specialty and practice setting as well as students, interns and residents. The organization was founded in 1871 and is a cons ...

* Marie K. Formad (class of 1886), born in Russia, served in France during World War I *

Anna Martha Fullerton Anna Martha Fullerton (August 16, 1853 – September 16, 1938) was an American physician and medical educator, born in India. Early life and education Anna Martha Fullerton was born in Agra, the eldest of the seven children of American Presb ...

(class of 1882), born in India, later taught at the WMC *

Cordelia A. Greene Cordelia A. Greene (July 5, 1831 – January 28, 1905) was a 19th-century American physician, Benefactor (law), benefactor, and Women's suffrage in the United States, suffragist from Upstate New York. She was the founder and director of the Castil ...

(1831-1905), physician, social reformer * Eliza Ann Grier (class of 1897), the first African-American female physician licensed to practice in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Mary Wade Griscom Mary Wade Griscom (August 24, 1866 – November 5, 1946) was an American physician and medical school professor in China, India, and Persia. Early life Griscom was born in Woodbury, New Jersey, the daughter of William Wade Griscom (1831–189 ...

(class of 1891), obstetrician in Philadelphia, and overseas in China, India, and Persia *

Rosetta Sherwood Hall Rosetta Sherwood Hall (September 19, 1865 – April 5, 1951) was a medical missionary and educator. She founded the Pyongyang School for the Deaf and Blind. Dr. Hall spent forty-four years in Korea, helping develop educational resources for disa ...

, (class of 1889) American-born Canadian medical missionary and educator in Korea. *

Susan Hayhurst Susan Hayhurst (December 25, 1820 – August 7, 1909) was an American physician, pharmacist, and educator, and the first woman to receive a pharmacy degree in the United States. Biography Susan Hayhurst was born in Middletown Township, Bucks Coun ...

, (class of 1857) the first woman to receive a pharmacy degree in the United States * Amanda Hickey (class of 1870), surgeon *

Sabat Islambouli Sabat M. Islambouli (1867 – 1941) was one of the first Kurdish female physicians from Syria. She was born to a Kurdish Syrian family. She has had variations of the spelling of her name and is also known as Sabat Islambooly, Tabat Islambouly, Tab ...

, first licensed female doctor in

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, (class of 1891) the first woman to become a doctor in Alabama. * Verina M. Harris Morton Jones (class of 1888), the first woman licensed to practice in

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. *

Agnes Kemp Agnes Nininger Saunders Kemp (November 4, 1823 – 1908) was a 19th-century American physician who was a national leader in the temperance movement as well as the first woman to practice medicine in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Family and education ...

(1823–1908), (class of 1879) the first woman to practice medicine in Dauphin County, PennsylvaniaAbram Ruth J. ''Send Us a Lady Physician: Women Doctors in America, 1835–1920''. WW Norton & Company, 1985, pp. 218–220. * Anna Sarah Kugler (class of 1879) was the first medical missionary of the

Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of North America The Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of America, commonly known as the General Synod, was a historical Lutheran denomination in the United States. Established in 1820, it was the first national Lutheran body to be formed in ...

and served in India for 47 years. *

Ruth Webster Lathrop Ruth Webster Lathrop (May 23, 1862 – July 31, 1940) was an American physician and medical school professor, who taught physiology at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. Early life Lathrop was from Le Roy, New York, the daughter of ...

(class of 1891), taught at the WMC from 1904 to 1923 *

(class of 1875), dean of Woman's Medical College from 1888 to 1917 *

Lillie Rosa Minoka-Hill Lillie Rosa Minoka-Hill (1876–1952) was a Native American physician of Mohawk descent. Minnetoga, was her birth given last name according to an early record of her birth. Although, throughout her life, her name was changed three times; once at ...

, (class of 1899) the second Native American woman to earn a medical degree. * Amanda Taylor Norris (class of 1880), the first woman physician in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Keiko Okami was a Japanese physician. She was the first Japanese woman to obtain a degree in Western medicine from a Western university (Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is re ...

, one of the earliest licensed female doctors in Japan, the first being

Ogino Ginko was the first licensed women in medicine, female physician practicing Western medicine in Japan. Life overview Ogino Ginko was born in Tawarase, in Musashi Province (present-day Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture). The Ogino’s were a respecta ...

Susan La Flesche Picotte Susan La Flesche Picotte (June 17, 1865 – September 18, 1915, Omaha) was a Native American doctor and reformer in the late 19th century. She is widely acknowledged as one of the first Indigenous peoples, and the first Indigenous woman, to ea ...

, (class of 1889) the first Native American female physician *

Anna M. Longshore Potts Anna M. Longshore Potts (, Longshore; April 16, 1829 – October 24, 1912) was an American physician and medical lecturer of the long nineteenth century. She was one of eight members of the first class to be graduated from the Woman's Medical Col ...

(1829–1912), one of eight women in the school's first graduating class *

Clara Swain Clara A. Swain (18 July 1834 - 25 December 1910) was an American physician and Christian missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She has been called the "pioneer woman physician in India," and as well as the "first fully accredited woman phy ...

, (class of 1869) the first female medical missionary to India from the United States *

Jennie Kidd Trout Jennie Kidd Trout (born Gowanlock; April 21, 1841 – November 10, 1921) was the first woman in Canada to become a licensed medical doctor, on March 11, 1875. Trout was the only woman in Canada licensed to practice medicine until July 1880, when ...

, (class of 1875) first female licensed medical doctor in Canada * Charlotte Whitehead Ross, a Canadian female physician who practiced in Montreal and Manitoba in the late 1800s and early 1900s. *

Harriot Kezia Hunt Harriot Kezia Hunt (November 9, 1805January 2, 1875) was an early female physician and women's rights activist. She spoke at the first National Women's Rights Conventions, held in 1850 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Early life Hunt was born in ...

, Honorable MD recipient, women's rights activist, teacher. * Elizabeth Reifsnyder, (class of 1881) opened first woman's hospital in Shanghai *

Lilian Welsh Lilian Welsh (March 6, 1858 – February 23, 1938) was an American physician, educator, suffragist, and advocate for women's health. She was on the faculty at Woman's College of Baltimore and an active member of National American Woman Suffra ...

(class of 1889), physician and educator, advocate for public health and preventative medicine * Mary Holloway Wilhite (class of 1856), physician and philanthropist *

Charlotte Yhlen Charlotte Yhlen (later Olsen, 1839–1920), was the first female Sweden, Swedish physician. Charlotte Yhlen was the daughter of a shoemaker in Helsingborg. Her only education in Sweden was primary education. In Sweden, it was not yet permitted ...

(1839–1920), first Swedish female physician *

Bertha Lund Glaeser Bertha Lund Glaeser (, Lund; September 28, 1862 – May 5, 1939) was an American physician. She served as Professor of Pediatrics at the Woman's Medical College of Cincinnati. Early life and education Bertha Lund was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Se ...

(1862-1939), physician

20th century

* Virginia M. Alexander (class of 1925), obstetrics and gynecology, Founder of Aspiranto Health Home to serve low income African American communities * Eleanor Jane Taylor Calverley (1908), medical missionary to Kuwait *

Myrtelle Canavan Myrtelle May Moore Canavan
HMS/HSDM Joint Committee on the Status of Women (JCSW) Accessed July 21, 2009. (June 24, 187 ...

(class of 1905), early neuropathologist who first described a form of leukodystrophy that would eventually be named after her,

Canavan's disease Canavan disease, or Canavan-Van Bogaert-Bertrand disease, is a rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss of white matter in the brain. It is one of the most common degenerative ...

. * Emmy Behn (class 1908),

Dr. med. Doctor Medicinae, also spelled Doctor Medicinæ and abbreviated Dr. Med., is a higher doctoral degree (a research doctorate) in medicine awarded by universities in Denmark and formerly in Norway. It is officially translated as Doctor of Medical S ...

, early German-born physician, gynecologist and publicist in Friedensau (Sanatorium),

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

(Krankenhaus Waldfriede) and

Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...

in Germany * Ruth Bleier, (class of 1949) neurophysiologist, and one of the first feminist scholars to explore how gender biases have shaped

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

. * Rita Sapiro Finkler, (class of 1915) Ukrainian-born endocrinologist, gynecologist and pediatrician *

Saniya Habboub Saniya M. Habboub (first name is also seen as Saniyeh, Sania, or Saniyya) (; 1901 — September 1983) was a Lebanese medical doctor. She was the first Lebanese woman to study medicine abroad and to graduate from the Woman's Medical College of Penn ...

, (class of 1931) Lebanese medical doctor *

Eleanor Montague Eleanor D. Montague (February 11, 1926 – November 9, 2018) was an American radiologist and educator who established breast-conserving therapy in the United States and improved radiation therapy techniques. She became a member of the Texas Wo ...

(1950) American radiologist and educator who advanced breast cancer radiation therapies *

Joanne Overleese Jo Anne (also Joanne) Overleese (October 3, 1923 – May 15, 2017) was an infielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right handed. /www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/profiles/overleese-md-joanne/803 A ...

, general surgeon, as well as one of the few doctors to have played in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League history * Ellen Culver Potter (class of 1903), physician and public health official * Ingeborg Syllm Rapoport (1912-2017), pediatrician & neonatologist and at age 102, the oldest person to receive a doctorate. *

Eva Reich Eva Renate Reich (27 April 1924 – 10 August 2008) developed a type of infant massage. Reich was the eldest child of Annie Pink and Wilhelm Reich, who was a well-known psychoanalyst who studied with Sigmund Freud. Reich was born in Vienna and mo ...

, Austrian-born pediatrician and internationally known lecturer, daughter of controversial psychoanalyst Dr. Wilhelm Reich. *

Patricia Robertson Patricia Consolatrix Hilliard Robertson (March 12, 1963 – May 24, 2001) was an American physician and a NASA astronaut. She died in a plane crash the year before she would have flown to the International Space Station. Biography She was born in ...

, a

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

astronaut and physician. *

Kazue Togasaki Kazue Togasaki (June 29, 1897 – December 15, 1992) was one of the earliest women with Japanese ancestry to earn a medical degree in the United States. Biography Kazue Togasaki was born on June 29, 1897 in San Francisco, California to Japanese i ...

, (class of 1933) one of the earliest women of Japanese ancestry to earn a medical degree in the United States. *

(class of 1904), dean of Woman's Medical College from 1917 to 1940 * Gisela von Poswik (class of 1911), German-born hospital administrator, specialist in

radiology Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiat ...

* Mildred Mitchell-Bateman (class of 1946) first African American woman to hold an office in the

American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 37,000 members are involve ...

as vice president. Founded the

Marshall University Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. The university is currently composed of nine colleges: L ...

Department of Psychiatry and namesake of Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital, West Virginia's state psychiatric hospital. * Patricia Flint Borns (class of 1948), prior acting director of the Department of Radiology at

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a children's hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with its primary campus located in the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia in the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The h ...

, head the radiology departments at

Hahnemann University Hospital Hahnemann University Hospital was a tertiary care center in Center City Philadelphia. It was the teaching hospital of Drexel University College of Medicine. Established in 1885, it was for most of its history the main teaching hospital associate ...

, and

Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware is a pediatric hospital located in Wilmington, Delaware. It is controlled by the Nemours Foundation, a non-profit organization created by philanthropist Alfred I. du Pont in 1936 and dedicated to improving t ...

References

Further research

Archives at Drexel University College of Medicine

Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
* {{authority control Former women's universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges in Philadelphia 1850 establishments in Pennsylvania East Falls, Philadelphia