Born: June 7, 1909 (Westfield, New Jersey)
Died: August 7, 1974
Biography:
Virginia Apgar (June 7, 1909 – August 7, 1974) was an American physician, obstetrical anesthesiologist, and medical researcher. She is best known as the inventor of the Apgar score, a way to quickly assess the health of a newborn child immediately after birth in order to combat infant mortality. Apgar developed the 10-point Apgar score in 1952 to assist physicians and nurses in assessing the status of newborns. Given at one minute and five minutes after birth, the Apgar test measures a child’s breathing, skin color, reflexes, motion, and heart rate. Through her invention, Apgar revolutionized neonatal care and significantly reduced infant mortality rates.
Born and raised in Westfield, New Jersey, Apgar was the youngest of three children. Her father, Charles Emory Apgar, was a business executive and amateur astronomer who played a significant role in exposing an espionage ring during World War I through his amateur radio work. Apgar’s older brother died early from tuberculosis, and her other brother suffered from a chronic illness. Despite these challenges, Apgar was determined to pursue a career in medicine from a young age. She graduated from Westfield High School in 1925, already set on her path to becoming a doctor.
Apgar went on to attend Mount Holyoke College, where she studied zoology with minors in physiology and chemistry. In 1929, she graduated from Mount Holyoke College and then pursued her medical education at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S). In 1933, she graduated fourth in her class from P&S and completed a residency in surgery at the same institution in 1937.
However, Apgar’s career took a turn when she was discouraged by Allen Whipple, the chairman of surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, from continuing as a surgeon. Whipple, having witnessed the struggles faced by many women trying to establish successful surgical careers, suggested that Apgar focus on anesthesiology instead. Recognizing the need for advancements in anesthesia to further advance surgery, Apgar heeded Whipple’s advice and decided to pursue a career in anesthesiology.
Apgar trained under Ralph Waters at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she studied for six months. Waters had established the first anesthesiology department in the United States, and Apgar became the only woman among him and fifteen other men in a 1937 photograph of Waters and his residents. Apgar then continued her training for another six months under Emery Rovenstine in New York at Bellevue Hospital. In 1937, she received her certification as an anesthesiologist.
Returning to P&S in 1938, Apgar became the director of the newly formed division of anesthesia. She dedicated herself to advancing the field of anesthesiology and introduced obstetrical considerations to the established field of neonatology. Apgar’s work in obstetrical anesthesiology led her to develop the Apgar score, creating a standardized and efficient tool for evaluating a newborn’s health status immediately after birth.
Beyond her contributions to neonatal care, Apgar was a leader in the fields of anesthesiology and teratology. Her passion for advocating for newborns with birth defects helped bring this issue into the public eye and led to significant advancements in the field. Apgar’s dedication to her profession and patients earned her tremendous respect and admiration from her colleagues and the medical community as a whole.
Awards:
– In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the field of medicine, Apgar received numerous honors and awards. These include the Elizabeth Blackwell Award from the American Medical Women’s Association and the Gold Medal from the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, both awarded in 1966. Apgar was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists in 1972. Her pioneering work continues to be celebrated and recognized as a remarkable achievement in the medical world.