Dorothea Erxleben

Dorothea Christiane Erxleben née Leporin (November 13 1715-June 13 1762) was the first female medical doctor in Germany.

Erxleben was instructed in medicine by her father from an early age. The Italian scientist Laura Bassi's university professorship inspired Erxleben to fight for her right to practise medicine, and in 1742 she published a tract arguing that women should be allowed to attend university. After being admitted to study by a dispensation of Frederick the Great, Erxleben received her M.D. from the University of Halle in 1754. She went on to analyse the obstacles preventing women from studying, among them housekeeping and family.