Margaret D. Craighill
Encyclopedia
Margaret Dorothea Craighill was born October 16, 1898 in Southport, North Carolina
, the daughter of Colonel William E. and Mrs. Mary (Wortley Montague Byram) Craighill. On May 28, 1943, she became the first woman commissioned officer in the United States Army Medical Corps. Major Craighill served through World War II
and after the war worked with the Veteran's Administration.
Department of the United States Army
at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland
. Enrolling in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Craighill graduated in 1924. During the years of 1925 and 1926 she was an Assistant Instructor of Pathology
at Yale University
. From 1926 to 1928, Craighill served as an Assistant Resident of Gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital
.
From 1928 to 1937 Craighill served as an assistant surgeon with Dr. J. A. McCreery at Bellevue Hospital in New York City
, New York. During this same time period, she also engaged in private practice in obstetrics
and gynecology in Greenwich, Connecticut
, as an assistant surgeon at Greenwich Hospital
.
In 1940 Craighill became the Dean of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMC) in Philadelphia, and served as an assistant gynecologist and obstetrician of the Philadelphia General Hospital. During her tenure as dean, Craighill was responsible for widespread reform throughout the College including curriculum
and student-faculty relations. In 1943 Craighill requested a leave of absence
from the College to enter the military.
On May 28, 1943, she became the first woman commissioned officer in the United States Army Medical Corps. Major Craighill was assigned as the Women’s Consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army of the United States commanding the Women’s Health and Welfare Unit and liaison duty with the Women's Army Corps
(WAC). During her military service, she was responsible for the inspection of the field conditions of all women in the United States Army, as well as establishing the standards for screening applicants into the WAC and for WAC medical care. In 1944-1945, Craighill conducted an eight and half month inspection tour around the world to study field conditions for servicewomen. Her tour included inspections in Europe
, Africa
, Asia
, and the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). For her distinguished service in World War II, Craighill was awarded the Legion of Merit
.
On April 8, 1946, Craighill separated from the United States Army and returned briefly to the WMC in Philadelphia. After a disagreement with the Board of Trustees over the future plans of the College, Craighill resigned. In September 1946 she accepted a surgical position with the Veterans Administration (VA) at Winter Veterans Hospital in Topeka, Kansas
. During her tenure, Craighill also served as Chief Consultant, Medical Care of Women Veterans. She was responsible for the oversight of the medical care of women veterans with nine other branch section chiefs stationed around the country. In 1946 Craighill went back to school under the G.I. Bill to study psychiatry
at the Menninger Foundation School of Psychiatry in Topeka.
Southport, North Carolina
Southport is a city in Brunswick County, North Carolina, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. It is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the daughter of Colonel William E. and Mrs. Mary (Wortley Montague Byram) Craighill. On May 28, 1943, she became the first woman commissioned officer in the United States Army Medical Corps. Major Craighill served through World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and after the war worked with the Veteran's Administration.
Biography
She received her BA and MS degree from the University of Wisconsin, finishing her studies in 1920. Upon graduation, she briefly worked as a physiologist with the Chemical WarfareChemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
Department of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Enrolling in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Craighill graduated in 1924. During the years of 1925 and 1926 she was an Assistant Instructor of Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. From 1926 to 1928, Craighill served as an Assistant Resident of Gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
.
From 1928 to 1937 Craighill served as an assistant surgeon with Dr. J. A. McCreery at Bellevue Hospital in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York. During this same time period, she also engaged in private practice in obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and gynecology in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, as an assistant surgeon at Greenwich Hospital
Greenwich Hospital
Greenwich Hospital can refer to:*Greenwich Hospital , USA*Greenwich Hospital , UK...
.
In 1940 Craighill became the Dean of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMC) in Philadelphia, and served as an assistant gynecologist and obstetrician of the Philadelphia General Hospital. During her tenure as dean, Craighill was responsible for widespread reform throughout the College including curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
and student-faculty relations. In 1943 Craighill requested a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
from the College to enter the military.
On May 28, 1943, she became the first woman commissioned officer in the United States Army Medical Corps. Major Craighill was assigned as the Women’s Consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army of the United States commanding the Women’s Health and Welfare Unit and liaison duty with the Women's Army Corps
Women's Army Corps
The Women's Army Corps was the women's branch of the US Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 15 May 1942 by Public Law 554, and converted to full status as the WAC in 1943...
(WAC). During her military service, she was responsible for the inspection of the field conditions of all women in the United States Army, as well as establishing the standards for screening applicants into the WAC and for WAC medical care. In 1944-1945, Craighill conducted an eight and half month inspection tour around the world to study field conditions for servicewomen. Her tour included inspections in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). For her distinguished service in World War II, Craighill was awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
.
On April 8, 1946, Craighill separated from the United States Army and returned briefly to the WMC in Philadelphia. After a disagreement with the Board of Trustees over the future plans of the College, Craighill resigned. In September 1946 she accepted a surgical position with the Veterans Administration (VA) at Winter Veterans Hospital in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
. During her tenure, Craighill also served as Chief Consultant, Medical Care of Women Veterans. She was responsible for the oversight of the medical care of women veterans with nine other branch section chiefs stationed around the country. In 1946 Craighill went back to school under the G.I. Bill to study psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
at the Menninger Foundation School of Psychiatry in Topeka.
External links
- Margaret D. Craighill Collection US Army Heritage & Education Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania