Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

The first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon in Britain, breaking gender barriers in medicine

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836–1917) was a pioneering figure in the medical field who transformed healthcare opportunities for women in Victorian Britain. At a time when women were excluded from formal medical education, Anderson relentlessly pursued her goal of becoming a doctor. Despite facing institutional resistance, she qualified as a physician through the Society of Apothecaries in 1865, becoming the first woman in Britain to do so.

Her determination led to the founding of the New Hospital for Women in London (later renamed the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital), which provided care exclusively by female staff. She also co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women, the first institution to train women as doctors. Anderson’s work challenged societal norms and paved the way for future generations of female medical professionals.

Beyond medicine, she was a vocal suffragist and the first female mayor in England. Her legacy endures in institutions like the NHS, which continues to advocate for gender equality in healthcare.