User:Paulina.cova/New England Female Medical College

History
Prior to 1847 when Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to enroll in a United States medical school by entering the Geneva Medical College'''. Many women, such as Harriot Kezia Hunt,''' had served as family physicians, but women were denied attendance at medical lectures and examinations.

In 1851, the Female Medical Education Society discussed a merger with the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania (later the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania or WMCP), and briefly shared faculty with the other school.

'''The Massachusetts Legislature established a grant in 1855 of ten thousand dollars that were allocated toward college buildings. Additionally, the Female Medical Education Society established a goal to build a hospital in conjunction with the college by raising one hundred thousand dollars. '''

On May 27, 1857, by an act of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Female Medical Education Society was formally reorganized as the New England Female Medical College, with the board members of the Society now serving as Trustees of the College.

'''In 1863, a petition made by Trustees of the NEFMC to the City Council asked that land be provided to them near the hospital in order to establish a building that could facilitate student practices; and it was granted for a significantly low price. '''

Foundation
Gregory argued that midwifery was a simple, mechanical routine that was acceptable for women'''. Furthermore, that it was''' beneath male physicians, and that men should be happy to hand it off to women and dedicate their time to other medical fields where they would be able to employ their full mental capacity.

Although it was seen as controversial, Gregory drew support for the establishment of the first female medical college with the help of Lemuel Shattuck, Harriet Beecher Stowe, the Female Medical Education Society, and the public'''. The Female Medical Education Society wanted to provide education for women to become midwives, nurses, and physicians, and the public belief was that women were well adapted for being midwives as a result of their feminine nature'''.

Students
The first term of classes began on November 1, 1848 with a class of twelve students from across New England, New York and Ohio enrolled at Boston Female Medical College.'''Following the next couple of terms, the number of students from across New England and other states increased to over fifty. ''' By 1852, the college had changed its name to the New England Female Medical College in the annual reports published by the Female Medical Education Society.

The majority of the school’s budget was provided by charitable contributions allowing for many students to be given the opportunity to study there through the Massachusetts State Scholarship Fund. '''This grant, which was approved for a span of five years in 1854, consisted of one thousand dollars allocated 40 students’ tuitions each year. ''' All women applicants with proper preliminary educations were able to apply for scholarships to the college. Without a scholarship, starting tuition was $25 per term with room and board costs of $2 per week.

Faculty
'''The 1854 Massachusetts Legislature’s grant not only provided 40 students donations for their tuitions, but the money, along with the tuition of all other students, also eventually went to the six professors that worked at the New England Female Medical College. '''

One of the most notable faculty members was Dr. Maria Zakrzewska who believed that young women should pursue a medical degree because of “an innate interest and talent for practicing medicine as well as the love for the science of it.”

'''Many, including some faculty members, saw NEFMC as inadequate and inferior to medical schools for male students. The most prominent example of this was Gregory’s opinion that scientific instruments offered little to doctors whose job is to treat a sick individual, while others, including Zakrzewska, saw these instruments as a way to study diseases and view medicine in a scientific context. Zakrzewska left the college because she disagreed with Gregory’s beliefs and insulted faculty members for being too focused on curing diseases and instead teaching students the scientific foundations of medicine. '''

Practice edit