Archives for Women in Medicine

The purpose of this guide is to present resources from the Archives for Women in Medicine collections at the Center for the History of Medicine at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. Please contact the Project Archivist with questions relating to accessing these resources.

The Archives for Women in Medicine (AWM) actively acquires, preserves, promotes, and provides access to the professional and personal records of outstanding women leaders, starting with the Harvard-affiliated community. We are eager to broaden our scope, to reach a larger audience, and to continue collecting, preserving, sharing, and celebrating the work of these pioneers.

While publications tell of their scientific accomplishments, the story behind those accomplishments - the story of the relationships, experiences, and struggles that pushed and inspired these pioneers - can only be illuminated through their personal and professional records. These collections not only provide a rich resource for current and future scholarship in medicine and the history of medicine, but will also inspire future generations of women who are eager to contribute to our knowledge in basic and clinical science.

As of 2018, the Archives for Women in Medicine comprises over 50 collections of women leaders in medicine and the medical sciences. Over half of these collections are open and accessible to researchers, while the remainder are in the queue to be processed. The Archives for Women in Medicine program actively collects the professional records of women leaders in medicine and promotes and celebrates women’s achievements in science and medicine through educational programs and outreach activities, such as lectures, class visits and tours, and the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation Fellowship.