Nossa Capa

Abstract

Lobato was the first Brazilian woman to attend a national university and graduate in medicine. She was awarded her degree on December 10, 1887, at Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, the first medicine school in Brazil, for a thesis called Parallel between Methods Commended in Cesarean. Daring and ahead of her time, Rita Lobato went through strong criticism for having chosen that theme for her piece of writing, considered then offensive to approach such a shameful and reserved subject. Rita's nerve certainly brought her a hard way, by means of which she imposed herself as strong and victorious. Not only was she the first lady doctor in Brazil, but the first to get the doctorate, the second lady doctor in Latin America and the first town councilwoman in Rio Grande do Sul. In order to get her degree she fought against all the restrictions of the time. But thanks to her strong will and determination, it took her four years to graduate on a sixyear course. Always supported by her parents, she first enrolled at Faculdade de Medicina do Rio de Janeiro, where her younger brother studied pharmacy. Disturbed by some professors' hostility towards her brother, Rita Lobato moved to Salvador, Bahia. Because of this simple reason, Rita ended up finishing college in record time and