“Dr. Virginia Apgar” Biography-Life History Easy Words
Dr. Virginia Apgar : Dr. Virginia Apgar was an American obstetrical anesthesiologist and medical trailblazer who is best known for developing the Apgar score, a quick and simple method to evaluate the health of newborns immediately after birth.
The score assesses five vital signs: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color, and assigns each a score of 0 to 2. The scores are then added up to obtain a total score between 0 and 10, with a higher score indicating better health.
Who was Dr. Virginia Apgar
Dr. Apgar was born on June 7, 1909, in Westfield, New Jersey, and she received her medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in 1933. She initially trained as a surgeon but later switched to anesthesiology, where she made significant contributions to the field. In 1949, she developed the Apgar score while working at Columbia University’s Department of Anesthesiology.
Dr. Apgar was also an advocate for the prevention of birth defects and was the first woman to become a full professor at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. She received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to medicine, including the Elizabeth Blackwell Award, the National Women’s Hall of Fame induction, and the President’s Medal of Freedom. Dr. Apgar passed away on August 7, 1974, at the age of 65.
