Rosa Kerschbaumer-Putjata

Kerschbaumer-Putjata studied medicine in Switzerland, firstly at the Universität Zürich (University of Zurich) along with her sister Jenja. She achieved her doctorate from Universität Bern (University of Bern) in 1876^[1] and trained in ophthalmology with Ferdinand von Arlt. Ten years before women were allowed to study medicine in Austria, Kerschbaumer-Putjata was granted a special permit by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria to work as a doctor in the country^[7][8]

In 1881, using her own funds, Kerschbaumer-Putjata founded and ran an ophthalmology clinic on Schwarzstraße in Salzburg with her second husband.^[9] She cared for poor eye patients free of charge and campaigned for Austrian women to be allowed to study medicine.^[7][10] In 1896, Kerschbaumer-Putjata left Salzburg to head "mobile ophthalmological troops" in Russia and to teach at the medical academy in Saint Petersburg.^[5] Kerschbaumer-Putjata next became a physician in Tbilisi, Georgia,^[7] then returned to Austria in 1907.^[6]

Throughout her career in Europe, Kerschbaumer-Putjata travelled to the major international congresses for ophthalmology and attended meetings of the Ophthalmological Society. She always employed young female doctors when she held senior positions.^[5]

In 1911, Kerschbaumer-Putjata emigrated to the Seattle, Washington, United States of America,^[6] when she was aged 60.^[7] In 1915 she moved to Los Angeles, worked at the Good Samaritan Hospital and was a member of the Medical Society of the State of California.^[5] She died in Los Angeles, California, in 1923.^[1]

In 2008, a street in Salzburg was named in her honour.^{[citation needed]}