Emma Willits facts for kids
Emma K. Willits (born September 20, 1869 – died April 9, 1965) was an important woman doctor and surgeon. She helped a lot in the growth of Children's Hospital in San Francisco. This hospital is now part of the California Pacific Medical Center. Dr. Willits led the Department of General Surgery there from 1921 to 1934.
She is thought to be only the third woman in the United States to become a special surgeon.
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Early Life and Education
Emma K. Willits was born in a town called Macedon, New York. She went to schools run by Quakers, a religious group.
In 1892, she moved to Chicago to study at the Women's Medical College of Chicago. This college was connected to Northwestern University. After finishing her medical studies in 1896, Dr. Willits worked as an intern at the Women's Hospital of Chicago. An intern is a new doctor who gets hands-on training.
Working at Children's Hospital
In 1897, Dr. Willits moved to San Francisco. She became a resident doctor at the Children's Hospital (which also cared for women). A resident doctor is someone who continues their medical training in a hospital.
After finishing her residency in 1900, she started her own private doctor's office. But she still worked closely with Children's Hospital.
Leading Surgery Departments
Dr. Willits first joined the team of surgeons who operated on children. Later, she became the head of the department that dealt with surgical diseases in children.
In 1921, she became the leader of the Department of General Surgery. This meant she was in charge of all kinds of operations. She held this important job until 1934. She is believed to be the first woman in the United States to lead a surgery department.
To learn even more, Dr. Willits visited the Mayo Clinic many times. This is a very famous medical center. In 1923, she also spent several months studying in Vienna, a city in Austria. After stepping down from her leadership role in 1934, she continued to work as a doctor and surgeon who gave advice.
Later Years
While working at the hospital, Dr. Willits also kept her private practice. She was a family doctor for many years. She stopped working in 1941.
Dr. Willits lived a quiet life in San Francisco. She passed away at the age of 95.
