Keynote Lecture: A Brief History of Women in Medicine

The mark of the woman physician through history has been one of hardship, distinction and accomplishment. Sima Desai, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, highlights the challenges and successes of both the women and the institutions that made a difference for and in medicine. Historically, women held important positions in medicine, and their wisdom and healing were widely sought. When societal norms changed in the 17th and 18th centuries, however, they were driven out of the profession. Hear how they rose to prominence in preventative medicine during the late 1800s, and about the larger inroads made by women in the profession during the 20th century.