By Tracy Adesuyi & Himani Murdeshwar
Women have been the backbone of healthcare for centuries. They account for over 70% of global health workforce. However, their efforts and hard work often go unnoticed. Women in medicine have been kept in the shadows, their contributions undermined, yet they continue to work relentlessly as caregivers, doctors, researchers and health advocates. Unfazed by societal barriers, every woman in healthcare is here to break the glass ceiling.
This International Women’s day WPMN would like to acknowledge the accomplishments of female role models in healthcare. These trailblazers have overcome inherent biases amongst colleagues, patients and institutions to inspire us all in working towards our goals, ignoring all naysayers. Through their hard work, they continue to prove that nothing is impossible.
The history of medicine would be incomplete without the invaluable contributions of these woman revolutionaries which have shaped modern medicine:
Florence Nightingale – the founder of Modern Nursing
An empowering visionary and social reformer, who set up a nursing school to reduce the stigma of women entering medicine, popularly known as “ the Lady with the Lamp” for conducting late night rounds to check on her patients. Through a life of service, she inspires women of today to go beyond the call of duty, utilising our natural nurturing abilities and soft skills in improving the patient experience.
Marie Curie – a pioneer in radiology and the first woman to win a Nobel
Prize for discovering radioactivity.
Marie’s initial work was presented by her male colleagues due to women being disallowed membership to the Academy of Sciences and publishing their work. She went on to be the first woman Professor at the University of Paris and a strong proponent for women in research.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson – became the first woman physician and
surgeon in Britain in 1865.
Born to parents belonging to the working class, who grew prosperous through their malting business, Elizabeth’s initial education was limited to literature, with no instruction in Mathematics or Science. With time, she took charge of her own training and after multiple unsuccessful attempts at enrolling at a medical school, due to her gender, she managed to find a loophole in the admissions process at the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries’ and passed her exams first time. The challenges continued with seeking employment as a female doctor and culminated in Elizabeth setting up her own practice, run by and for women. Through her efforts, the medical school admission policy across the country
was revised and in 1876, the British Medical Register was forced to accept women.
In the present day, certain medical specialties remain heavily male-dominated. Women, especially of Black, Asian and Ethnic minorities have to overcome additional systemic challenges and discrimination to progress in the fields of Surgery, Orthopaedics, Cardiology and Neurology. Here are our top picks for heroines of the 21st century:
Miss Samantha Tross – the first Black woman to become a Consultant
Orthopaedic surgeon in the UK. She is incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about her specialty and exudes positivity despite facing numerous challenges throughout her career. She recalls how having a female Orthopaedic registrar and encouraging male mentors as allies enabled her to progress in training.
Dr. Catherine Hamlin- an Australian obstetrician, who dedicated her life to treating obstetric fistulae in Ethiopia and changing lives of women from the lower socioeconomic strata.
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett- an American viral immunologist who spearheaded the development of the Moderna vaccine, instrumental in the efforts to contain damage from COVID-19.
The team at Dr. Deborah Heart and Lung Center, which is made up of female cardiothoracic surgeons who challenge stereotypes having emerged as excellent leaders of large multidisciplinary teams.
Women demonstrate a distinct quality of care, placing their community, country and people they serve, at the heart of their work. Doctors Without Borders highlights the importance and contribution of women in communities affected by war and conflict in establishing and expanding essential health services. Women who take on diverse roles of midwife, intercultural mediator and community health volunteer are pivotal in improving accessibility to healthcare and social support. By sharing their practical knowledge, lived experiences, and understanding of cultural nuances they become the first line of medical defence, in underserved locations. Investing in educating and training these women at the grassroot level helps sustain positive change.
Initiatives such as Women In STEM and Global Health, empower young women to pursue careers in healthcare, thus shaping the future workforce through a more inclusive and equitable environment. Growing representation of women from different ethnicities in medical schools and leadership roles holds great promise and will go a long way in enriching medicine. As individuals, we can all participate in this movement and contribute by supporting and encouraging female colleagues in their pursuits, addressing disparities and ensuring equal opportunities in all fields.
We would like to conclude by expressing our pride in all our fabulous female colleagues, who continue to lead with great compassion and resilience. Remember, that only YOU have the power to write your own unique story and who knows, a little girl in a different country, years later might read it and decide to be just like you!
“Empowering women in medicine isn’t just about equity; its about improving care for everyone.” - Dr. Joanne Liu
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