Health Equity

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recall the many accomplishments women have made in our society. As I reflect upon the observance, I am drawn to my own path to becoming a doctor.

My earliest memories are filled with emergency room visits and hospitalizations related to my childhood asthma and food allergies – which often led to life-threatening reactions. The scene was always the same. It was dark outside, I would be hurried into the car, and taken to a local hospital on Staten Island. I have vivid flashbacks of opening my eyes to doctors, nurses, and medical staff around me, as I lay helpless on the hospital bed.

I experienced this scenario many, many times. However, one occasion felt quite distinct from the others. I was very young, but I recall the warmth of one of the emergency room doctors. There were no grand gestures, just her kind, gentle words. That’s when I was certain, not only did I want to be a pediatrician, but I wanted to be like this caring woman - the kind of doctor who made kids feel safe and who left them reassured that they would be okay.

Prior to attending medical school, I worked for a year in child protection, investigating reports of child abuse and neglect. It was there that I learned of Mary Ellen Wilson. She was a child in New York City who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of her foster parents in the late 1860s and became the first documented case of child abuse in the United States. A Methodist missionary, Etta Wheeler, learned of the child’s condition and, along with others, helped to rescue her. At that time, there was no formal child protection agency. Etta’s only hope was to enlist the help of the founder of the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to help rescue Mary Ellen. This girl’s tragic life, along with Etta’s intervention, changed the trajectory of child protection in this country.

While working in child protection, I received my acceptance to medical school. Today, there is nearly an equal number of women and men in medicine. Notably, my field of pediatrics is comprised of 70 percent women. Even though practicing medicine as a woman is now considered commonplace, that wasn’t always the case.

Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. Her original profession was teaching; however, she was drawn to medicine at a time when women were not permitted into the profession. She did not allow countless rejections from medical schools to deter her. When she was finally accepted to Geneva Medical College in Ontario County, New York, she faced harsh discrimination. She was not allowed to sit with her fellow classmates at lectures and was prevented from participating in other learning activities. Despite these barriers, Elizabeth eventually graduated at the top of her class. Following her graduation, Elizabeth opened a clinic for poor women called the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. She later went on to also open a medical college for women.

This month, we should acknowledge and have gratitude for the journey of the individuals who paved the way before us. We honor those who were brave in the face of adversity, and who struggled so that we would have one less hurdle in our way. These women may not have realized at the time that they were making history, yet their lives will never cease to impact future generations.

Fidelis Care Medical Director Letha Daniel, MD, is board certified in Pediatrics. She is a graduate of Ross University School of Medicine and completed her residency at New York University Winthrop Hospital Long Island.