This column will focus on people, organizations, and events that have influenced and shaped the UAMS institution over the years. The goal of the History of Medicine column is to share the rich history of UAMS so that we have a deeper appreciation of our past.
Our inaugural column is written by a familiar face around UAMS, Erick Messias, M.D., MPH, Ph.D. Dr. Messias serves as the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at St. Louis University School of Medicine. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Messias was Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the College of Medicine at UAMS. He also served as the founding editor-in-chief for Medicine and Meaning.
Dr. Messias discusses the life and career of UAMS alumnus and trailblazer Dr. Edith Irby Jones.
Timothy G. Nutt
History of Medicine Section Editor
By Erick Messias, M.D., MPH, Ph.D.
Understanding the Past
Seventy-five years ago, at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine—today University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)—Edith Irby Jones made history by becoming the first African-American medical student admitted to a public medical school in the South. We celebrate her at UAMS and in academic medicine and, in particular, we marked the 70th anniversary of her admission with her presence in 2018, followed by sadly losing her to her final resting place in 2019 at the age of 91. (Sandomir 2019)
Her journey is now part of UAMS history and she joins a notable group of trailblazers in helping create a more perfect union in America.
It is important to note that Dr. Jones’ journey did not end upon medical school graduation. She went on and had to persevere to complete her internal medicine training afterwards—according to her entry in the National Library of Medicine’s Changing the Face of Medicine initiative she was determined to complete a residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals. The school welcomed her, but the hospital to which she was assigned segregated her and limited her patient rosters. She completed the last months of her residency at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. (“Changing the Face of Medicine” n.d.)
She made history again in 1985, by becoming the first woman elected president of the National Medical Association, an organization representing African-American physicians. (“Dr. Edith Irby Jones (1927-2019)” n.d.)
Fundamentally, we—we physicians, we toiling in academic medicine, we who believe in the vision of that more perfect union – have been lucky to have had her among us. We are better for her courage, for her presence, and for opening a door through which so many talented and hard-working African American physicians have crossed and made us better.
Shaping the Future
As we now live under the ominous arrival of Artificial Intelligence (AI) engines—and, Dr. Jones was always leading us towards a better future—I was curious to see what ChatGPT had learned about Dr. Jones. The result is below and does contain great information but also some inaccuracies that our section chief and historian of medicine, Tim Nutt, can clarify using this natural intelligence.
ChatGPT output with the prompt “Write an essay about Edith Irby Jones”
Edith Irby Jones was a trailblazing African American physician who made significant contributions to medicine and civil rights. She was born on December 23, 1927, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, at a time when racism was rampant in the United States. [Editor’s Note: Dr. Jones was born near Conway, in Faulkner County.] Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles due to her race and gender, she persevered and became the first black student to attend the University of Arkansas Medical School in 1948.
Jones’s journey to becoming a physician was not easy. She grew up in a segregated town and attended segregated schools. Her parents, who were both educators, instilled in her the importance of education and encouraged her to pursue her dreams despite the obstacles she faced. Jones was an excellent student and graduated as valedictorian of her high school class.
After graduating from high school, Jones attended Knoxville College in Tennessee, where she earned a degree in biology [and chemistry and physics]. She then applied to medical school but was rejected by all the schools to which she applied. [Editor’s Note: she was not rejected, but applied and was accepted into Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of Arkansas College of Medicine.] Undeterred, she reapplied the following year and was accepted to the University of Arkansas Medical School. [Note: She was accepted into the UA Medical School, but an extra slot was created so that her admission would not take the spot for a white candidate.] Jones faced numerous challenges as the only black student in her class, including being denied housing on campus and being forced to eat in a separate dining room. [Editor’s Note: She was segregated from her white classmates in dining, lodging, and restroom facilities.]
Despite the challenges she faced, Jones persevered and graduated from medical school in 1952. She then went on to complete her internship at Harlem Hospital in New York City and her residency in internal medicine at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She later became the first black woman to practice medicine in Arkansas. [Editor’s Note: Dr. Jones’ internship was at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospital and her residency was at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington, DC.]
Jones was a tireless advocate for civil rights and worked to break down barriers for black people in the medical profession. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement and marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists. She also served as the president of the Arkansas State Medical Society, becoming the first black person and the first woman to hold the position. [Editor’s Note: Dr. Jones never served as the president of the state medical society.]
Throughout her career, Jones worked to improve healthcare access for underserved communities and was a mentor to many young physicians. She was a member of several medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, and was recognized with numerous awards for her contributions to medicine and civil rights.
Edith Irby Jones was a true pioneer who broke down barriers and paved the way for future generations of black physicians. Her legacy continues to inspire and serve as an example of courage, perseverance, and dedication to social justice.
As you can read, even with its great capabilities, ChatGPT still gets some facts wrong. It is interesting to wonder what Dr. Jones would have thought of the use of Artificial Intelligence and how it would affect the medical profession. Much has changed in the seventy-years since Dr. Jones was admitted to the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, but some societal and cultural prejudices remain. As an AI gains more facts, its knowledge base grows and the out-product evolves, so, too, we must take in information and experiences to change our perspectives.
Notes
“Changing the Face of Medicine.” n.d. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_175.html
“Dr. Edith Irby Jones (1927-2019).” n.d. Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.arwomenshalloffame.com/edith-jones
Sandomir, Richard. 2019. “Edith Irby Jones, Barrier-Breaking Doctor in the South, Dies at 91.” The New York Times, July 23, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/obituaries/dr-edith-irby-jones-dead.html