U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for January 23

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 23: FIRST WOMAN DOCTOR

Profile America -- Sunday, January 23rd.  The nation's first woman doctor received her M.D. on this date in 1849 -- as the result of a joke.  Elizabeth Blackwell had applied to many medical schools but was rejected because of her gender.  The faculty at Geneva Medical College in New York decided to let the students vote on her application, sure it wouldn't go through.  But as a gag, the students voted "yes."  Dr. Blackwell moved to New York City but found it hard to get a job at established hospitals and clinics.  So, she opened her own dispensary in 1854, which three years later had grown to become the New York Infirmary for Women and Children.  Later, the institution opened its own medical college for women.  Now, there are 877,000 doctors in the U.S. -- nearly one-third of them women.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 96

National Library of Medicine

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 603

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau