In 2020, approximately 64% of US Veterinarians identified as female, according to the AVMA. However, women did not always have such representation in veterinary medicine. This month, we remember a few of the female pioneers in vet med who are celebrated for paving the way.
- Dr. Elinor McGrath is considered to be the first woman to earn a DVM and practice veterinary medicine. She was unique at the time for her focus on small animal veterinary medicine, at a time when veterinary medicine was predominantly focused on the health of farm animals, and providing veterinary care for pets was not the norm. Dr. McGrath earned her degree from the Chicago Veterinary College in 1910 and provided much-needed care for the pets of Chicago throughout her career.
- Dr. Alfreda Johnson Webb is one of the first two Black women to earn a DVM, gr
aduating from the Tuskegee institute School of Veterinary Medicine in 1949. Dr. Webb led an academic career in veterinary medicine, and was a professor at NC A&T who served on the planning committee for our NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Webb was also the first African-American woman in the North Carolina General Assembly, appointed in 1971. In our NC State CVM House System, House Webb is named in honor of Dr. Webb’s legacy. - Dr. Jane Hinton earned her degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1949, and along with Dr. Webb became one of the first two African American women to earn a DVM. She was a pioneer in the study of bacterial antibiotic resistance. She worked as a small animal veterinarian before joining the USDA as an inspector involved in research and response to outbreaks of disease in livestock. Webb and Hinton became the first Black members of the Women’s Veterinary Medicine Association, leading the way for diversity and representation in veterinary medicine.
- Dr. Ethel Connelly was the first Native American woman to earn a DVM. Dr. Connelly grew up on a cattle ranch on the Blackfeet Native American Reservation in northern Montana. As a pre-vet student, she started a summer outreach
program for Indian youth that continues on, 40 summers later. Dr. Connelly graduated earning a DVM in 1989 from Colorado State University (receiving a round of applause while wearing a traditional buckskin dress as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma). She continues to devote her career to caring for the pets of the Blackfoot community in Montana.
Sources:
vet.cornell.edu
vetmed.ufl.edu
avma.org
ncsu.edu