The Boston Female Medical College becomes the world's first medical school specifically for women, providing formal education in issues relating to women's health. Over a decade later, it becomes the first to admit a Black woman.
The college offers a two-year program and is one of few medical schools to include OBGYN training. With the school's focus on educating women, women have greater opportunity to earn formal doctoral degrees in medicine (Dr. Elizabeth Caldwell became the first American woman to earn a doctorate degree in 1849, but applied to nearly 30 medical schools before gaining acceptance due to gender discrimination). Graduates of the college struggle to gain acceptance in the professional medical field and to be offered training or professional positions in established hospitals.
In 1860, the college becomes the first to admit a Black woman (Rebecca Lee Crumpler). The Boston Female Medical College later becomes known as the New England Female Medical College, among other names, and merges with Boston University in the 1870s to become one of the first coeducational medical institutions in the United States. This integration marked a significant milestone not just for women but also for Black Americans in Massachusetts, providing a more inclusive educational environment compared to the segregated norms of the period.
