Marie Charlotte Schaefer

Schaefer was born in San Antonio, Texas and attended San Antonio High School where she graduated as the salutatorian in 1893.^[1] After high school, she taught for a year and then enrolled in the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in 1895.^[1] She earned her medical degree in 1900 and then did a year-long residency in pathology at the John Sealy Hospital.^[1] At the hospital, she worked on the pathology of hookworms.^[2][3]

In 1901, she became the first woman faculty member of UTMB.^[4] She gave the opening speech on the first day of school at UTMB in 1912.^[5] In 1915, she became a full professor of embryology and ten years later in 1925, a full professor of histology.^[6] On May 27, 1927 she suffered from a sudden illness due to heart disease and died the same day.^[1] Schaefer was buried in San Antonio and former students of hers served as pallbearers.^[1] Schaefer's medical drawings are in the collection of the UTMB Moody Medical Library.^[7]

• Marie Charlotte Schaefer at Find a Grave