1885 Photo Reveals First Female Doctors from India, Japan, and Syria

In a remarkable discovery, Drexel University College of Medicine has unveiled a captivating 19th-century photograph showcasing the groundbreaking achievements of the first licensed female physicians from India, Japan, and Syria. This historic snapshot, dated October 1885, features Anandibai Joshee of India, Kei Okami of Japan, and Sabat Islambooly of Syria, all adorned in their traditional attire. Together, they defied societal norms by obtaining Western medical degrees, marking pioneering milestones in their respective countries.

These trailblazers received their education at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP), a groundbreaking institution founded by Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. WMCP was renowned for its inclusive approach, admitting African-American women and foreign students during an era when such inclusivity was a rarity.

Each woman’s personal journey is as captivating as their collective achievement. Anandibai Joshee, who graduated in 1886, embarked on her medical path after the tragic loss of her infant child at 14. Queen Victoria herself acknowledged her achievement, but Joshee’s life was cut short by tuberculosis at the age of 22, denying her the opportunity to practice medicine.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The mymodernmet