️Dr. Patricia Bath was the first black woman to complete a residency in ophthalmology and the first black woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention. Patricia’s patent was for the Laserphaco Probe, a method of removing cataract lenses using laser devices. Patricia studied chemistry at Hunter College before completing her medical training at Howard University’s College of Medicine. Patricia completed specialty training in ophthalmology and cornea transplant at New York University and Columbia University. Patricia struggled with sexism, racism, and poverty as a young woman entering the male-dominated field of surgery. Patricia was the founder and first president of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.
