Who runs the world again? In case you forgot, the answer to that is, of course, GIRLS. In celebration of Women’s History Month, our friends at Virtua Health helped us put together this ground-shaking list of powerful women who have made strides in health care, medicine, and everything in between. Let’s give them their well-deserved flowers.
Elizabeth Blackwell
We love a trailblazer! Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree in 1849, after years of facing hardships and discrimination as a woman during her time at Geneva Medical College in New York. Not only that, but she went on to establish the New York Dispensary for Poor Women and Children in 1853, which has since become the NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital. Her incredible work as a female medical researcher set the foundation for many women in medicine today.
Mary Edwards Walker
Another classic name in women’s history is Mary Edwards Walker, and for good reason. She’s truly done it all – from being the first female surgeon in the US Army, treating those injured during the Civil War, to being the only woman in history to receive the Medal of Honor from the United States Armed Forces. We encourage you to learn more about this incredible medical pioneer when you get the chance!
Henrietta Lacks
Knowing of Henrietta Lacks’ life and legacy is a must in the world of modern medicine, and her contributions to genetic research has touched millions – literally. As a Black cervical cancer patient of Johns Hopkins Medical Center in 1950, Henrietta’s cells were used for research without her knowledge or permission. Her cells were then discovered to hold unique properties that made them “virtually immortal”, according to this article on her life. Her cells then became the basis for the HeLa cell line – cells that are still used to this day for in vitro fertilization, among other things. Even more, the medical violation she endured set the stage for a number of medical ethics laws that would protect women from similar circumstances. Henrietta Lacks, we ALL have you to thank!
Regina M. Benjamin
Now, let’s look at some women who are revolutionizing medical research in more contemporary history. Born in Mobile, Alabama, Regina M. Benjamin is a Black physician whose achievements have sprouted around her all the way to the White House, where she served as the 18th Surgeon General of the United States during the Obama administration. She received a number of awards and accolades throughout her career for her dedication to the improvement of American medicine, while at the same time making strides in rural health and serving the community in which she was raised.
Mary Guinan
Mary Guinan is a powerhouse in the world of disease research. Early on in her career, she spent five months in Uttar Pradesh, India, administering vaccinations to those suffering from smallpox in the area. Her work in infectious diseases also led to her being an indispensable figure to the CDC during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since then, she has participated in several disease research efforts such as that of Ebola and H1N1. Also, fun fact – In 2014, she received the “Elizabeth Blackwell Award” from the American Medical Women’s Association! That’s women looking out for women.
Nina Shah
By far the youngest addition to this list, Nina Shah is a hematologist and a professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Her work on blood marrow cancers has made her a vanguard in CAR T cell therapy, a form of cancer treatment which uses the body’s T Cells to target and destroy cancer. While the road to the cure for cancer seems to be long and winding, Nina Shah is doing her part to get us much closer, and for that she deserves our deepest gratitude!
To see even more femme ferocity in action, take a look at this article to learn how Virtua Health prioritizes women’s leadership. We hope your Women’s History Month is an inspiring one!
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