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Roland Chan

| Apr 27, 2023 12:58 pm

Wonderful post! Also as an MGH Rheumatology alum, wanted to add Marian Wilkins Ropes, MD, a pioneer in American medicine who played an important role in breaking the barriers blocking opportunities for women at Harvard. She thought that she was following her own path and never generalized from her accomplishments and even belittled them. She stated that, “The only thing that women need in medicine are pockets in women’s clothes.” Abundant energy and enthusiasm characterized both her professional and social encounters. She was a popular lecturer even when her message, such as advocating conservative management of connective tissue disease and dangers of glucocorticoids, was not widely shared by her audience. Admired for her manner and how she approached patients, she defended her positions without fear of recrimination and could hold her own with her peers, even among the celebrated department heads.
She was recognized for her contributions to rheumatology by being the first woman to be elected President of the American Rheumatism Associate, now ACR. She was one of the few women elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation and
to Mastership of the ACP.

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