Maude Abbott

Maude Abbott wanted to become a doctor at a time when women

were not allowed to study medicine. Eventually, she became not only

a doctor but also a world-renowned expert on heart disease.

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In the late 1800s, women in Canada were supposed to become wives and mothers. A few
might be nurses or primary school teachers, but most careers were closed to them simply
because of their gender. This kind of sexism was common around the world.
Things were just starting to change when Maude Abbott was born in Quebec in 1869,
only two years after Confederation. Although she came from a famous family (her
cousin, James Abbott, became prime minister), Maude had a difficult childhood. First her
father abandoned the family and then her mother died, and she was raised by her
grandparents.
Maude was a very bright girl who dared to dream of achieving something more than a
traditional role. She wanted to become a doctor. However, although she was admitted to
university (she was part of only the third class of women at McGill University), Maude
Abbott was not allowed to study medicine because she was a woman.
Eventually, she found a school that would let her earn her medical degree. Then, she went
on to study in Europe. With all of that education and her powerful brain, Maude Abbott
became more than just a doctor - she became a medical genius!
Back in Canada, Dr. Abbott published the first of more than 140 books and papers, most
of them on heart disease. Eventually, she was recognized as a world expert in her field.