[The centenary of opening of the gates of medical universities to women].

In the second half of the 19th century, with a wave of emancipation, women started to overcome discrimination and obtained access to the medical departments of universities. The first woman to obtain doctor's diploma was the American, Dr Elisabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) in 1851. In 1864 Switzerland was the first country in Europe to allow women to undertake medical studies. It was there that the first Polish woman - Dr Anna Tomaszewicz-Dobrska (1854-1918) obtained the doctor's diploma in 1878. In Poland, the official opening of university gates of medical faculties for women took place in 1900. In the 20s and 30s of the XXth century, the number of female doctors increased by 15%. It was then that counter-feminism began in the medical profession. The process of turning the medical profession into a feminine occupation went on in spite of the counter-action which took place at that time. Nowadays it is predominantly a feminine occupation with over 50% of doctors in Poland being women.