Bienvenido, bienvenue, hello and welcome to the website, www.elementarymydearmd.com, and blog of the Elementary My Dear Humanities in Medicine Podcast Experience.

My name is Dr. Michelle K. Watson, my pronouns are she/her/hers/ela/ella/elle, and as your bold, unabashedly intrepid host, I am pleased to have you accompany me on this sublime audio journey where the belief is that equity in medicine can be both evolutionary and revolutionary.

Our mission in healthcare is to include and stay divine, every single time. 

I am thrilled to have you accompany me on this journey to educate, investigate, evaluate, and create an open think tank for solutions necessary for achieving healthcare equity for BIPOC populations around the world.

In continuation of the Humanities in Medicine Podcast Experience, this DEI, or diversity, equity and inclusion weekly wrap up is in acknowledgement of the unparalleled life and splendid achievements of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African-American woman to achieve the Doctor of Medicine, or M.D. degree in history in the United States. 

Dr. Crumpler achieved her medical degree in 1864, three years prior to that other Rebecca, Dr. Rebecca Cole, who received her M.D. Degree in 1867.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was a Doctress of Medicine, as I like to say. Her degree was conferred in 1864 by the New England Female Medical College. At that time, there were 300 women physicians on record out of 54,543 total doctors in the United States. none were African-American until the emergence of our built Ford tough enough champion Dr. Crumpler.

As a woman of firsts, she demonstrated her fierce determination and exuberant fighting spirit in all life areas. In 1883, she authored a text, A Book of Medical Discourses, delineating the life and growth of humans, along with nursing, motherhood, and the prevention and cure of various maternal and pediatric diseases. With this stellar accomplishment, Dr. Crumpler earned herself a position in the pantheon of the first female physician authors of the 19^th century. A Book of Medical Discourses was one of the earliest premier medical publications written by an African American. The good doctor was able to accomplish these stunning exploits during a time when African Americans were essentially barred from being the recipient of any form of schooling, much less medical education, or prohibitions against reading, writing, or involvement in the publishing industry existed. She possessed a distinctive mastery in the hidden figures of mathematics, and fervently emphasized the detailed study of anatomy for the enhancement of the protection of life. In addition, Dr. Crumpler displayed prowess in homeopathy.

I notice that I have developed a penchant for writing about women named Rebecca. For more details, you can purchase my book, The Women of Purpose Anthology, in which I chronicle the most famed Rebecca of them all, from the book of Genesis in the Bible. Feel free to view the details in the description area of this podcast episode.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, much like Dr. Rebecca Cole, was raised in the Keystone State of Pennsylvania, and experienced the resounding sting of overwhelming racism and sexism throughout her career and lifetime. Many physicians, particularly male, ignored her existence, refused to respect her medical opinion or recommendations, and declined the approval of her prescriptions and treatment plans. It was the administration, and other doctors, not the patients, who referred to her M.D. degree as a “mule driver” degree, as that “was all she would ever be good enough for.” 

That sounds very, very familiar.

I understand exactly how both Drs. Rebecca, Cole and Crumpler, felt. It still happens today in medicine.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Dr. Rebecca Crumpler acquired an interest in medicine from her aunt, a female Dr. Sebi of sorts, who served as an untitled doctor for the community in which she resided. Her aunt was so medically proficient, that her reputation became widespread and far reaching, with her being considered the person to see for the treatment of illnesses, even before visiting an allopathic M.D. Dr. Crumpler’s preference and professional focus was in the care and treatment of women and children. She had worked as a nurse for eight years and served as a medical apprentice prior to acquiring a scholarship to attend medical school. In an effort to satisfy her desire to perform missionary work, the doctor served the Freedman’s Bureau, caring for newly freed slaves in humanitarian service to her less fortunate brethren.

According to our lady Dr. Crumpler:

“Having been reared by a kind aunt in Pennsylvania, whose usefulness with the sick was continually sought. I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others. Serving under different doctors for a period of eight years as a nurse, I received letters commending me to the faculty of the New England Female Medical College. Four years afterward, I received the degree of Doctress (how I adore that word) of Medicine.”

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, our Boston lady of medicine and letters, passed away at the age of 64. The Rebecca Lee Society is named after her and is one of the oldest societies for African American women in medicine. In the grand scheme of things as a Boston brahmin, her home in the historic abolitionist enclave of Hyde Park has a earned a landmark spot on the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.

March 30th is referred to as Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day, and National Doctor’s Day. Give a hug to your favorite doctor!

We stay on top of things here at the Humanities in Medicine Podcast Experience!

Thank you, Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler.

#teamcrumpler 

Happy Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day, and National Doctor’s Day to all.

Catch you on the inside of all things medical!

As to the opinion of people, 

I don’t care one straw about that, honey!

Informed, culturally relevant content.

Custom-created and curated for an informed listener base.

For a more informed future.

Elementary my dear listeners.

I am Dr. Michelle K. Watson, innovator, producer, host, and creator of the EMD HIM Podcast Experience. Join me on this audio revolution for a new episode every month on all major podcast hosting platforms. 

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I thank you for allowing me to be of service to you.

This is Dr. Michelle K. Watson, signing off, wishing all of you a safe and equitable life journey.

Until we meet again.

For the next episode in this revolution.

Evolve safely.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Namaste.