National Women Physicians Day is celebrated on 3rd February is a day set aside to honour and appreciate the path paved by female doctors over the last 172 years since 1849. In particular, it recognises the remarkable achievements of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell.
3rd February marks the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell and recognises her for remarkable achievement in attaining her medical degree in 1849. Dr. Blackwell was a British physician, born in Bristol, and was notable for being the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. She was also the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council.
Medicine in the mid-1800s was heavily male-dominated, so Dr. Blackwell’s achievement was a true milestone in not only the development of modern medicine but also a tremendous step forward for enabling women to obtain an education and prominence in this field.
National Women Physician Day has surpassed the achievements of one person, and lives on as a celebration of multiple generations of women physicians since Dr. Blackwell.