Role of Women in Medicine

Question 1

What barriers did women face in becoming doctors during the 19th century?

Answer 1

• Societal beliefs: ‘unnatural’
• Lack of access to education
• Limited training and job opportunities

Question 2

How did Elizabeth Garrett Anderson become a doctor?

Answer 2

• Wealthy family
• Studied privately
• Threatened with lawsuit as she found loopholes to gain membership with the Society of Apothecaries
• Obtained medical degree in Paris

Question 3

What was St Mary’s Dispensary in London?

Answer 3

• Opened by Garrett
• Provided medical treatment for women
• When returned from obtaining degree, expanded ward, women staff

Question 4

How did Elizabeth Garrett Anderson impact future female doctors?

Answer 4

• Inspired others (e.g. Frances Hoggan, Sophia Jex-Blake, Edith Pechey - but suffered sexism, harassed, paid more, denied practical work, cheated of prizes, forced to leave but trained abroad)
• A law passed in 1876 to require universities and medical societies to accept women

Question 5

What was the impact of the law introduced?

Answer 5

• One thing to pass a law, another for societal attitudes and prejudices to change
• Increased but low

Question 6

What did being the sole female member of the British Medical Association suggest?

Answer 6

• Persistence of old attitudes
• Despite evidence that women were not actually too squeamish