During the time of the Mexican Revolution, there was a lot of turmoil, but one woman became the first female to receive a medical degree in South America. She was Maria Elisa Rivera Diaz. Her accomplishment was greatly appreciated by her peers.
Dr. Crumpler
During the late 19th century, Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. She graduated from the New England Female Medical College (NEFMC) in Boston in 1864. In 1883, she published A Book of Medical Discourses, one of the first medical texts written by an African American. She wrote this book to counteract the racist notion that Black Americans were more likely to fall ill. It also addressed issues of maternal and child health.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler was born in Christiana, Delaware, and raised in Pennsylvania. She was freed from slavery in Virginia, but returned to Boston. She was a student at the prestigious West Newton English and Classical School in Massachusetts. She was a special student in mathematics. After graduating, she moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts. She worked as a nurse.
Crumpler married Arthur Crumpler in 1865. They lived in a home on Joy Street in Beacon Hill, a primarily black neighborhood in Boston. They were members of Twelfth Baptist Church on Phillips Street. Crumpler and Arthur Crumpler were also members of the Black Baptist Society. They were known for their work in caring for the sick and needy. They were also members of the Freedmen’s Bureau in Richmond, VA. They helped newly freed enslaved people gain access to food and medical care.
Crumpler also worked for other charitable groups. She devoted her life to improving the health of the black community. She and her husband were indefatigable church workers. They worked in the Twelfth Baptist Church, where they were members of the board of trustees. They had one daughter, Lizzie Sinclair Crumpler, in 1870.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler’s legacy is documented in the book A Book of Medical Discourses in Two Parts. It was written to challenge the racist notion that Black Americans were more likely than whites to fall ill. It analyzed the cause of diseases, as well as gave valuable medical advice to women. It was the first medical text written by an African American. It also paved the way for other African American women to enter the medical field.
Dr. Tewhida Ben Sheikh
Throughout the centuries, women have contributed significantly to the field of medicine. Especially in countries like the United States and Canada, women have made incredible advancements. However, women outside of these countries often go unrecognized.
One of the most important and influential women in the field of medicine is Dr. Tawhida Ben Cheikh. She is a pediatrician and a leading figure in the field of women’s medicine. She is also a devout Muslim. Ben Cheikh earned a degree from the University of Paris and has been practicing in Tunisia since she was 27 years old. She is one of the most revered doctors in Tunisia and is credited with changing the way women view health care. She is also the first woman to sit on the National Council of the Order of Physicians of Tunisia.
Ben Cheikh’s legacy continues to inspire other female doctors in Tunisia. She also worked with non-profit organizations to provide free health care to women. She helped establish Tunisia’s first family planning clinic in 1973. In addition, she is credited with transforming the image of women doctors and is featured on the Tunisian ten dinar banknote.
When Ben Cheikh graduated, she decided to return to Tunisia to open a free medical practice. She also worked as the head of the maternity department at the Charles-Nicolle hospital in Tunis. However, she had to wait until 1955 to become a full-fledged doctor.
She was also the Vice-President of the Tunisian Red Crescent. She founded the first family planning clinic in Tunisia and helped create Leila magazine for women. Ben Cheikh’s legacy has inspired many female doctors in the country and has opened up a world of opportunities for women doctors in Tunisia.
Her work also helped to establish the right for women to have access to abortion. In addition, she has helped create several organizations to provide aid to orphans and poor women.
While women have made incredible advancements in the field of medicine throughout the centuries, they are often under-recognized. Especially in countries outside of the United States and Canada, women often go unrecognized. But by honoring pioneers like Tawhida Ben Cheikh, we can remind ourselves of the tremendous influence women have had on the development of the health care system in Tunisia and across the MENA region.
Dr. Maria Elisa Rivera Diaz
Historically, the medical field in South America was a man’s domain. Women didn’t have the opportunity to study the science of medicine and practice it for much of the 19th century. That said, the field did see a small spike in the 20th century. In the modern era, women have made significant strides in the medical field, particularly in the United States.
The best place to start is with the Women’s Medical College of Baltimore, a college founded in 1872. In 1909, Maria Elisa Rivera Diaz threw her hat in the ring and became the first female doctor in Puerto Rico. After earning her medical degree in 1913, she went on to become the most successful female medical professional in the country. She was also the first female to receive the coveted medical license in South America. Eventually, she was able to expand her practice to include the more than 200 patients she was able to treat in the first year of her practice.
While the gizmo might have been the most impressive of the bunch, it was in fact Maria Elisa Rivera Diaz who deserves credit for the female medical marvel of the era. She was an avid philanthropist and her name may not be known to the medical community of today, but her name is still a household name in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Gerty Cori
Throughout her life, Gerty Cori received many honors and awards for her contributions to science. Her scientific research focused on the breakdown of carbohydrates and the use of glucose as energy. This led to the discovery of Phosphorylase, a enzyme that breaks down muscle glycogen. It helped to develop an understanding of the body’s metabolism and diabetes. In 1953, Gerty became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She later became a professor of biochemistry at Washington University. In 1948, she was awarded the Garvan-Olin Medal and the Midwest Award of the American Chemical Society.
Gerty Cori and her husband Carl Cori published dozens of papers together. Their research on the “Cori Cycle” explained the body’s conversion of carbohydrates into sugars. The cycle also helped to develop an understanding of the body’s energy. Carl and Gerty were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1947 for their research on the cycle. Carl’s and Gerty’s research helped to develop an understanding of carbohydrate metabolism and the treatment of metabolic diseases.
Gerty Cori received many honors during her lifetime, including the Garvan-Olin Medal, the Squibb Award in endocrinology, and a nomination for membership in the National Women’s Hall of Fame. After her death, her research continued to receive recognition. She received the 41 cent stamp with a picture of her on the chemical formula for glucose-1-phosphate in 2008.
Gerty Cori was the first American woman to receive a Nobel Prize. She shared the prize with Bernardo Houssay, an Argentine physiologist. She also received the American Chemical Award and the Squibb Award in endocrinology. She was also elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 1953. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998.
Gerty Cori was diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer in 1947. Her fight with the disease lasted ten years. She eventually succumbed to the disease in 1957. Gerty Cori died at the age of 61.
Gerty Cori’s research contributed to the understanding of carbohydrate metabolism and diabetes. Her research also led to the discovery of Phosphorylase. Gerty Cori’s work also helped to develop an understanding of the body’s temperature regulation through hormonal control. She also received honorary degrees from multiple institutions.
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