Nabihah Shukakiyyah

The first Arab woman to earn a medical degree, pioneering healthcare and education in Syria during the Ottoman era.

Breaking Barriers in Medicine

Nabihah Shukakiyyah (1865–1932) graduated from the University of Istanbul in 1884, becoming Syria’s first female physician. She faced backlash for studying anatomy but persisted, later founding the Shukakiyyah Clinic in Damascus (1891), which treated over 10,000 patients annually. Her clinic also trained female nurses, defying societal taboos against women in healthcare.

Legacy in Public Health

Shukakiyyah authored 《Health for All》, a manual on preventive medicine that influenced Ottoman public health policies. She collaborated with feminist groups to open girls’ schools, linking education to healthcare access. Her advocacy led to Syria’s first midwifery school in 1905. Modern scholars credit her with laying foundations for Syria’s modern healthcare system, as noted in this 2020 study.