Jennie Kidd Trout

Jennie Kidd Trout

Jennie Kidd Trout (April 21, 1841 – November 10, 1921) was the first woman in Canada legally to become a medical doctor. Born in Kelso, Scotland, Jennie Kidd Trout moved to Canada with her family in 1847, settling in Ontario. Her journey into medicine began after she experienced personal health issues and was inspired by a female physician who treated her. Trout's pursuit of a medical career faced significant obstacles due to her gender, but her determination led her to make history in the Canadian medical field.

Early Life and Education

Jennie Kidd Trout was born as Jennie Gowanlock in Scotland and immigrated to Canada with her family when she was six years old. The family settled in Stratford, Ontario. From a young age, Trout was determined to pursue a career in medicine, a field that was, at the time, almost exclusively male. Her initial education was at the Toronto School of Medicine, which she attended under the tutelage of Dr. Emily Stowe, one of Canada's first female doctors. However, due to the prevailing gender biases of the time, Trout and her peers faced considerable resistance.

Medical Career

In 1875, Trout passed her exams and received her license from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Ontario, making her the first woman in Canada to be legally recognized as a doctor. Following her licensure, she completed further studies at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in the United States, as opportunities for medical practice and further education were limited in Canada for women at the time. Upon returning to Canada, Dr. Trout opened a medical practice in Toronto, focusing on diseases of women and children. In 1882, she founded the Therapeutic and Electrical Institute in Toronto, which offered treatments for women using "galvanic baths" or electrical therapy, a novel treatment at the time.

Legacy

Dr. Jennie Kidd Trout's legacy is not only marked by her being the first woman in Canada to become a licensed medical doctor but also by her efforts to open the medical profession to women in Canada. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Woman's Medical College in Toronto in 1883, which was affiliated with Queen's University, providing an avenue for women to pursue medical education in Canada. Dr. Trout retired from medical practice in 1886 due to ill health. However, her pioneering efforts paved the way for future generations of women in medicine in Canada. She passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1921, but her contributions to medicine and women's rights in Canada continue to be celebrated.

See Also

• Women in medicine
• History of medicine in Canada
• Emily Stowe