From the 1940 to the 1970’s, medicine went from an almost exclusively male club to a profession in which women physicians were commonplace. 

Our physician guest is Dr. Anne Walling, who has written a book about the experiences of 37 women who attended a Midwestern medical school, Women in Medicine: Stories from the Girls in White

This was a time when pornographic images appeared in lecture slides, and sexual harassment and discrimination in the job market were ubiquitous. 

Despite the misogyny, the women interviewed nearly all expressed gratitude that they were able to have such meaningful, rewarding, and stimulating careers.

Our guest told us that her interviewees described reunions where male colleagues seemed burned out and cynical, while many of these women remained upbeat and excited about their medical work. 

What can we learn from the story of women’s entry into mainstream medicine? How has the profession been changed (or not) by their presence?