Study Questions:

Rothman, Medicine and Western Civilization, pp 282 - 287

Elizabeth Blackwell, "The Influence of Women in the Profession of Medicine," (1890)

According to Elizabeth Blackwell, what differences did she see between men and women? Do you think she considered those differences to be biological or social?

In the end, what did Blackwell say was the influence of women in the profession of medicine?

What does Blackwell say explicitly or implicitly about the influence of men in the profession of medicine?

For the remainder of the readings, consider the following questions, using one or more of the readings for information:

What are the main features that make medicine a profession? What is the role of medical education in the process? Most of the latter part of the Thier article seems dated. Why?

What were the main features in the change American medical education from 1870 to 1920 and what role did Abraham Flexner play? There have recently been critics of Flexner and his report. On what grounds can it be cricized, both at the time and with historical hindsight?

Flexner, Abraham, Medical Education in the United States and Canada (NY: Carnegie Foundation, 1910), pgs 20-27, 42-59, 141-146, 151-155,179-181

Samuel O. Thier, "Re-examining the Principles of Medicine," Health Affairs, 1987 (6): 70-74

Ludmerer, Kenneth, Learning to Heal, (NY: Basic Books, 1985) Chpt 1-6

Ludmerer, Kenneth, Time to Heal, (NY: Basic Books, 1998), pp. 3-25