Essays in medical sociology, Volume 2 (of 2)

by Elizabeth Blackwell

In relation to the second obstacle—the want of professional support—I need only refer to the prospectus of our College to show how happily we have at last been able to surmount this second difficulty. How this has been accomplished I really do not know. We are so accustomed to be ‘despised and rejected’ that encouragement, welcome, success, seem unaccountable. It is like breathing a new and delightful atmosphere, which is, nevertheless, strange and dream-like; and one almost fears to wake up with a shock and find again the cold, the gloom, and struggle all around.

But, from whatever cause proceeding, the support now given to the formation of the College is warm and cordial. Should we fulfil the expectations of the wise and experienced physicians who have sanctioned and counselled the formation of this school, professional assistance will be increased to the utmost extent the student may require.

We enter, then, upon this work under the most favourable auspices, and we are encouraged to undertake it by the earnest request of medical women from every part of the country. From the east and the west, from California to Maine, have come the same heartfelt expressions of interest in the establishment of a sound plan of education, the same hope that other women may not enter upon their work under the disadvantages of imperfect preparation that they have had to contend with. The list of excellent women physicians who have enrolled themselves as fellows of the College shows the trust which is felt in this undertaking by our respected co-workers.

We have endeavoured to follow out the suggestions of our most experienced medical teachers, and incorporate the following features into our plan of instruction:

1. A three years’ college course.

2. A larger proportion of time devoted to teaching and practical instruction than to lecturing.

3. A progressive succession of studies.

I shall only refer at this time to one of these—viz., the three years’ college course. I would remark, for the information of those who are not familiar with medical tuition, that the Legislature, in granting to a school the right to confer the degree of Doctor in Medicine, requires that such degree shall only be given to those who have been studying medicine for three years. Three years, then, is the obligatory time of study, and no degree is legal which is granted on a less term of study. But in the ordinary course of instruction the greater part of that time is spent in private reading, the College being only responsible for the instruction of two winter sessions of five months each; in other words, for ten months out of the thirty-six required by law. The remaining twenty-six months may or may not be well spent; it depends upon the intelligence, resolution, and opportunities possessed by each individual student. It is the great wish of the profession to increase the collegiate part of instruction, and require attendance at college during a portion of each of the three years of study. Many colleges have added spring and autumn courses, but the attendance of students is not obligatory, and it seems impossible to lengthen the college course without united action.

For women there exist so very few opportunities for profitable study that these precious twenty-six months are, to a great extent, wasted. At the same time a weighty responsibility rests upon all those who introduce women into medicine to see that they are fitted to fulfil the trust worthily. Medicine is a learned and confidential profession, and should draw into its ranks the most highly educated, the most irreproachable in character. This most noble profession, like all high things, is susceptible of the worst abuse. The good which women may accomplish in medical practice is also the measure of the evil that they may do. Education, long and careful, should be the safeguard of society in this matter. From many causes women are peculiarly exposed to a great temptation—that of practising ignorantly and superficially. The College should foresee this danger, and provide the long and careful training which can alone discriminate between the worthy and unworthy candidate. This education, while it sifts out the incompetent, will give to the earnest student those advantages of drill, of substantial knowledge, of professional support, without which women enter upon the practical work of medicine under the most cruel disadvantages.

We propose, therefore, to adopt the most advanced plan of instruction, and have arranged a progressive course of study which will require for its completion attendance at college during three winter sessions of five months each, which we hope eventually to be able to extend to eight months. We shall thus be able not only to give to each student an additional term of systematic instruction, with all those advantages of hospital practice which belong only to a large city, but we shall be able to keep her under college influence during the remainder of each year, directing the intermediate studies, and forming much more accurate acquaintance than were otherwise possible, with the qualifications of each candidate for graduation.