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Medical Field Progression

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You probably know how the medical field has changed throughout time but do you actually know who helped create that change? I was the first open women to receive a medical degree in the United States. Before I received my medical degree only men were physicians. Men believed women couldn’t handle seeing the body, and working to fix it. When I graduated medical school, I changed that. I may have grown up in a poor, humble family and worked as a low-level teacher, but my determination to receive my medical degree inspired many women to reach out of their comfort zone, and changed the medical field forever: I am Elizabeth Blackwell. My birth, childhood, and teenage years were vaguely normal for my beliefs and status. I was born on February 2, …show more content…

So much happened during those years, but it all has to start somewhere. After quitting my teaching job, I decided to visit my friend that was dying of uterine cancer(6). When I saw her I was overcome with melancholy. What she said next hurt me even more. She told me that only if I was a doctor I could have saved her. My friend died because she didn’t want a man to examine her, and try to save her. I realized thousands of women felt this way, including my friend; and from then on I was inspired to become a doctor(4). Although I had strong feeling to become a physician it was very difficult to find a college that would accept me. Most colleges thought I was either not fit or too fragile to become a doctor. I applied to about 40 colleges, but not one of them accepted me. Even throughout this difficult time for me, I found ways to still be studying medicine. I studied the human anatomy with many physicians, and that was very helpful, but it still wasn’t enough(1). I was overjoyed when I was finally accepted into a college, specifically Geneva College in New York. But the more I thought about it the more I got nervous(6). What if I was kicked out the first day? What if everyone disrespected me? But I threw away those thoughts and faced my fear of finally attending college. I remember the second I walked into my first lecture on the human anatomy the whole room went silent. I thought for a moment “this is wrong; I shouldn’t be here.” But then I remembered that this is what I want to be in life, so I will stick with it. I simply walked into the lecture and took my seat(1). The rest of the lecture went by in a flash, but was completely silent. I learned later that the reason I made it into Geneva was not exactly what I thought. The students were asked if they wanted me to be accepted, and they all thought it was a joke so they said yes. Little did they know that I actually

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