Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women, 1886-1898

The Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women stood in Surgeons’ Square in Edinburgh’s Old Town from 1886 to 1898. Founded by Sophia Jex-Blake with help from the National Association for Promoting the Medical Education of Women, it opened with eight students, the youngest nineteen. Financial struggles dogged the school throughout its twelve years. Rival institutions such as the Edinburgh College of Medicine for Women, led by John Inglis, drew away students including Martha Cadell and Grace Cadell. When Scottish universities began admitting women, the school could no longer compete and closed in 1898. The school provided medical education to about eighty women during its lifetime. Of these, thirty-three completed the full course while others finished elsewhere. Jex-Blake had earlier fought to enter the University of Edinburgh Medical College, winning a faculty vote despite opposition from figures like Robert Christison. After initial admission, a student-led appeal overturned the decision, leading to a riot when the Edinburgh Seven tried to sit an exam. Public support grew, but the university revoked the women’s places. Lectures took place in Surgeons’ Square while clinical teaching moved to Leith Hospital. The school aimed to serve local women, assuming most would live at home. Jex-Blake’s strict discipline caused further problems before the institution closed. The building itself no longer stands, but its story marks an important moment in women’s medical education.