March is recognized as Women's History Month, this is an annual observance dedicated to highlighting the contributions of women throughout history. Ophthalmology is no exception.
Patricia Bath completed high school in just two and a half years, and entered New York’s Hunter College to study chemistry and physics, earning her a bachelor's degree in 1964. She then attended Howard University in Washington D.C. to pursue a medical degree. Doctor Bath graduated with honors from Howard in 1968 and started her career by accepting an internship at Harlem Hospital shortly afterward.
In 1973, Doctor Patricia Bath became the first woman of color to be a certified ophthalmologist in the United States.
Doctor Bath completed a corneal transplantation program She also worked in keratoprosthesis, she established the Keratoprosthesis Program to provide advanced surgical treatment for blind patients.
In 1988, she became the first Black female doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention: the Laserphaco Probe, a device for cataract removal. In total, she holds five patents.3 for the Laserphaco Probe and it’s upgrades. In 2000, she was granted a patent for a method for using pulsed ultrasound to remove cataracts, and in 2003 Doctor Bath patented combining laser and ultrasound to remove cataracts.
Doctor Bath was the first woman ophthalmologist appointed to the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, at the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Additionally, she was the first woman to chair an ophthalmology residency program in the U.S.
She was among the first to conduct an epidemiological study, which documented that blindness among African Americans in low income areas was double that of whites. She established a new discipline known as community ophthalmology, this new medical discipline that promotes eye health and prevents blindness through programs that utilize the public health system, community medicine, and ophthalmology methodologies.
Doctor Bath was the first Black woman to complete an ophthalmology residency at NYU from 1970 to 1973.
In 1976, she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.
At UCLA, she founded the Ophthalmic Assistant Training Program (OATP) in 1978. To train students in a career in Ophthalmology
In 1986, Doctor Bath decided to take a sabbatical from clinical and administrative responsibilities to concentrate on research.
She then chose to resign from her position as chair of ophthalmology to pursue her research interests as a visiting professor at prestigious institutions in France, England, and Germany.
- In France, she worked at the Rothschild Eye Institute in Paris alongside its director, Daniele Aron-Rosa.
- In England, she held a visiting professorship at the Loughborough Institute of Technology with Professor Emmony.
- In Germany, she served as a visiting professor at the Free University of Berlin and at a laser medical center.
She served as a professor of ophthalmology at Howard University's School of Medicine and as a professor of telemedicine and ophthalmology at St. Georges University's ophthalmology training program.
Bath has lectured internationally and authored over 100 papers.
Doctor Patricia Bath has received numerous honors throughout her career. Hunter College inducted her into its "Hall of Fame" in 1988.
- In 1993, she retired from UCLA, where she was selected as the first woman to the honorary staff. That same year, Howard University recognized her as a "Howard University Pioneer in Academic Medicine."
- In 1999, the Smithsonian Museum featured her in their Innovative Lives Exhibition and Program.
- In 2001, she was inducted into the American Medical Women’s Association Hall of Fame.
- 2009 Doctor Bath was acknowledged by President Barack Obama when he signed the Stem Cell Executive Order and the Scientific Integrity Presidential Memorandum.
- In 2011, she was inducted into the Museum of Vision by the American Academy of Ophthalmology for her contributions to the field.
- In 2012, she received the Disruptive Innovation Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
- In 2013, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Ophthalmology by the Association of Black Women Physicians.
- In 2014, she received the Alpha Kappa Alpha Presidential Award for Health and Medical Sciences.
- In 2017, Medscape named her one of the "12 Women Physicians Who Changed the Course of American Medicine," and she was also featured in Time Magazine's "Firsts: Women Who Are Changing the World" for being the first person to invent certain medical devices.
- In 2018, Dr. Bath was awarded the John Stearns Medal from the New York Academy of Medicine for her distinguished contributions to clinical practice and received the Silver Innovator Award from the Alliance for Aging Research for her research and contributions toward blindness prevention.
- In 2024, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. After Doctor Bath’s passing in 2019 she continued to receive well deserved accolades.
Dr. Bath excelled as a doctor, researcher, inventor, and humanitarian, her pioneering efforts paved the way for future generations. She passed away in 2019, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and achievement in the name of equity and justice. In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Bath was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, becoming one of the first Black women to receive this honor.
Sources:
www.medicalartscenter.com
www.biography.com
www.invent.org
www.cfmedicine.nim.nih.gov
Photos:
https://thedig.howard.edu/all-stories/patricia-bath-helping-others-see-disparities-eye-care
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bath-patricia-1942/
https://www.invent.org/inductees/patricia-bath
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