Kornhauser selected for national exhibit honoring women medical pioneers

Kornhauser Library has been selected to host "The Changing Face of Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians," a traveling exhibition sponsored by the American Library Association.

The exhibit, which will spend six weeks at UofL in the fall of 2009, is a tribute to American women medical pioneers over the past 150 years, including Louisville's own Leah Dickstein, M.D.

Dickstein is a well-known national advocate for women physicians who served as a psychiatry professor and associate dean for faculty and student advocacy at UofL until her retirement in 2003.

Kornhauser Library was one of only 30 sites chosen for the exhibition, said Laura Schweitzer, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Medicine.

The competitive application process mandated strong support from the campus and community in order to publicize the exhibition and produce related programs.

"As a result of the great response from many prominent community and educational organizations -- as well as from the campus -- the affiliated programming should make 'The Changing Face of Medicine' the centerpiece of an extensive and rich demonstration of the contributions of American women physicians," Schweitzer said.

Schweitzer noted that the exhibit will help raise awareness of the tremendous opportunities open to women in the field of medicine today.
In a profession long dominated by men, UofL administrators were pleased to see that incoming medical school classes were evenly divided between men and women in both 2003 and 2004. The percentage of women dropped to just 40 percent in 2005, however.

"I and other administrators will be taking an active role in reversing this disturbing trend," Schweitzer said. "We plan to meet with pre-med academic advisors throughout the state to increase awareness of the issue and will be offering our services to speak to undergraduate women about medicine as a career choice."

Schweitzer also encouraged alumni to become involved.

"If you know girls who are interested in the field of medicine, encourage them to pursue it," she said. "And if you are a woman alumnae who is interested in serving as a role model for a group of girls, please contact my office so we can discuss suitable opportunities."