March is Women’s History Month. As a Pharmacist, I want to mark this month by recognizing and honoring the many women that have contributed to the success and advancement of the pharmacy profession.
I want to start by giving a great thanks to Dr. Suzanne Rabi Soliman, PharmD. Who worked very hard to make October 12 National Women Pharmacist Day, October is American Pharmacist Month, and she chose the number 12 in honor of Elizabeth Greenleaf. Ms. Greenleaf was the first woman pharmacist in America and had 12 children. As a Pharmacist and mom, Dr. Soliman found Mrs. Greenleaf to be inspiring and therefore chose October 12 as the day to honor Women Pharmacist.
Recently Dr. Soliman wrote an article about being a Pharmacist and a Mom which you can read by clicking the following link: http://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/are-you-a-pharmacist-and-a-mom.
Jean Kennedy Irvine, was born in 1877 in Hawick. Her first post was an assistant pharmacist to the Glasgow Apothecaries Company to which she subsequently became Chief Pharmacist. She was the first woman president of the staff side of Whitley Council for National Insurance administrative, technical and clerical services. She was the first woman elected to the presidency of the insurance Committee Officers Association for England and Wales.
Another pioneer is the first female pharmacist in the United States. After graduating from the Woman’s Medical College of Philadelphia in 1857, Susan Hayhurst served on the College’s staff and ran its pharmaceutical department for many years. In 1883, at the age of 63, Susan Hayhurst became the first woman to graduate from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.
Ella Stewart (born in Stringtown, West Virginia). Stewart wished to attend the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Pharmacy but was met with discrimination when she was told admissions were closed. She persisted, however, and although segregated from other students, she graduated with high marks passing her state exam in 1916, to become the first licensed African-American female pharmacist in Pennsylvania and one of the earliest practicing African-American female pharmacists in the country.
Elizabeth Marshall was born in 1786, the second USA woman to be Pharmacist. In 1805 she took over the drugstore owned by her grandfather and restore the struggling business to a successful business.
Mary Munson Runge born in 1928, graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1948. She practiced pharmacy for 21 years, she was the first woman and African American to serve as president of the American Pharmacist Association (APhA) in 1979.
This is only a small group of the many women who have been part of pharmacy through the years. Mary Euler, PharmD, FAPhA, Professor and Associate Dean for Student Services at the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy noted that in the early 1900s, many pharmacy programs opened with all men; a woman in the program would have been a rarity. During World War II, a temporary increase of women in the profession occurred as men were not as available. In the 30 years that Dr. Euler has been in pharmacy academia, she has seen a gradual shift from 60% men/40% women to now about 40% men/60% women.
The success of women pharmacists today can in many ways be credited to the women in our past. These women were instrumental in not only increasing female pharmacist representation but also advancing the profession.
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