1 of 8 | On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell, pictured sometime between 1850 and 1860, became the first woman in U.S. history to receive a medical degree.

Posted: December 21, 2024 | Last updated: July 11, 2025 The first woman to graduate from a U.S. medical college, Elizabeth Blackwell broke through gender barriers to make history.

The world recoiled at the notion of a female doctor, yet Elizabeth Blackwell persisted — in 1849, she became the first woman in America to receive an M.D. Her achievement made her an icon ...