THREAD 1/: Extraordinary image via @DrexelUniv of Dr. Anandabai Joshee of India, Dr. Kei Okami of Japan, and Dr. Tabat M. Islambooly of Syria, classmates at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, each the first women from their countries to earn degrees in western medicine.

2/8 Dr. Anandibai Joshi was forced to become a child bride at age 9, married to a man in his late 20s. Surprisingly, her husband advocated for womens education. She gave birth at 14, but the baby passed away at only 10 days old. This trauma inspired Joshi’s pursuit of medicine...

3/8 She saw the need for Hindi women doctors to treat other Hindi women who were uncomfortable seeking medical attention from either men or westerners. Joshi completed her degree in 1886, receiving a congratulatory message from Queen Victoria, as India was then colonized...

4/8 Joshi was celebrated upon her return to India and was appointed physician-in-charge of the female ward of the Albert Edward Hospital. Tragically, though, she was never able to take her post as she never fully recovered from an earlier case of tuberculosis...

5/8 Though Joshi was only 22 when she passed away, she remained a source of inspiration for Indian women.

6/8 Dr. Keiko Okami moved to the U.S. at the age of 25 with her husband, an art teacher. She was able to attend the Women’s College due to missionary aid, graduating in 1889... She returned to Japan, taking a position at the Jikei Hospital, from which she later resigned...

7/8 after the emperor refused to be seen by her due to her gender. Okami then began her own practice, focusing on gynecology and the treatment of tuberculosis, ultimately opening a small women’s hospital and nursing school which she ran until her retirement.

8/8 Unfortunately, very little is known about Dr. Sabat Islambouli. She was a Syrian Jew who returned to Damascus after completing her medical degree in 1890. The only other record states that she moved to Cairo in 1919. We can only imagine what more she accomplished.

Correction: Hindu (the people) not Hindi (the language)