Dr. Margaret McCallum-Johnston: Canada’s first female anesthesiologist

Excerpt

Dr. Margaret McCallum-Johnston (1875-1947), a graduate of the Ontario Medical College for Women (OMCW), was a pioneer in the practice of anesthesia in Canada and helped pave the way for many female physicians to follow. A woman of many firsts, Dr. McCallum-Johnston was the first female to be offered a position as resident physician with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in 1900.1 After her training and marriage to Dr. Samuel Johnston (who himself is considered the first full time anesthesiologist in Canada), Dr. McCallum-Johnston was a key figure in the founding of the Department of Anesthesia at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, serving as its inaugural Chief in 1914.2 During her 12-year tenure as Chief, the department quickly became one of the most prestigious in Canada. Under her supervision, the anesthetic staff successfully administered anesthesia for a number of operations including Cesarean and forceps-assisted deliveries.

…