It is a pleasure to welcome you to this overview of
the contributions of women to the Medical University of South
Carolina. The personal
stories collected here serve not only to inform but to inspire
as well. Having worked alongside many of these extraordinary
women, I know firsthand the skills, passion, and dedication that
they
bring
to their work.
The Medical University is proud of the leadership roles that
women have played in this institution and through it to the medical
and
research communities regionally and nationally. Some of these
individuals were pioneers in their fields, breaking through the “glass
ceiling” in professions traditionally dominated by men. They
helped to make the way easier for those who followed them, allowing
subsequent generations of women to expect even greater possibilities.
If women entering the health professions today can see further, it
is as Sir Isaac Newton said, “by standing on the shoulders
of giants.”
We recognize that women still face challenges in pursuing careers
in teaching, research and clinical care. We look forward to the
day when these challenges are a historical footnote. In the meantime,
we will continue to find inspiration in the stories of the many
women
who have overcome those challenges and led us to new heights
of achievement.
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Women have been healers since ancient
times. They helped keep medicine "alive" during the darkness
of the Middle Ages. Doctresses were common in colonial America
and provided much needed medical assistance to the pioneers traveling
west. And in many cultures through history, throughout recorded
history, women have played critical roles as those who nursed the
ill and cared for those who could not care for themselves. And
the emergence of the woman scientist has led to a torrent of remarkable
discovery and innovation, not only in health care, but in the basic
sciences as well.
Yet women have battled for their rightful place in both science and medicine.
There are many unsung heroines. I can remember when less than 10% of medical
school classes were female (a mere 25 years ago!). Now 40 to 50% of graduates
from medical school are women! In the clinics, laboratory, classroom, and now
as healthcare policymakers, women are actively advancing the field of medicine.
Join me in celebrating contributions by MUSC women. This dynamic website illustrates
the tremendous power, intellectual versatility, humanism, and energy that women
bring to the sciences and to the health care professions. |
