Early Maryland Women Physician: Amanda Norris, MD

As a lifelong resident of Maryland, Amanda Taylor Norris paved the way for women interested in the field of medicine by becoming the first woman physician in Maryland who had received a medical degree from a “regular” college before she attended medical school. 

Along with her brothers and sisters, Amanda received her early education at home from a tutor. Earlier, her parents had sent her to reside with family members to give her an opportunity to attend a nearby school. This arrangement did not last as she was terribly homesick and returned home to her parents and siblings. At the age of seventeen, she attended a girl’s seminary in Carroll County for one year where her studies included grammar, arithmetic, history, composition, sciences, and German.