Before the 20th century, few professions were open to women. All this changed, however, because of the examples set by Elizabeth Blackwell and other courageous women of the past. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to become an M. D. She had to endure the prejudices and ignorance is of her day, as well as the hostility of the medical community, in order to become a doctor. She prevailed, and as a result, the field of medicine benefited greatly. She was one of the earliest champions of careful and thorough hygiene in the practice of medicine. The story of this remarkable woman is retold vividly in I Will Be a Doctor! Dorothy Clarke Wilson expertly paints a picture of a woman of unusual determination and compassion – – an inspiration to everyone.

The best biography of this remarkable woman available. I have read many of them, and this is my favorite. I read it first as a child and later as an adult and enjoyed it equally both time. Easy enough for a child to understand, but with depth and emotion that will engage an adult.
Wilson has an exceptional talent for writing biographies as stories. She makes the reader feel as if they are walking along with the person. I felt I was there with Elizabeth when we was rejected over and over from colleges, when she finally got into Geneva, when her dreams of being a surgeon ended and when she finally achieved recognition for her work. A fabulous read for anyone, young or old, boy or girl. ( )