Psych Matters
Psych Matters
RANZCP
Women's History Month - Mary Barkas: The Forgotten Pioneer of Psychiatry
37 minutes Posted Mar 20, 2025 at 1:00 pm.
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In this episode, Dr Rob Kaplan delves into the extraordinary yet often overlooked life of Mary Barkas, a pioneering New Zealand psychiatrist who defied societal norms and gender barriers in the early 20th century. She became the first female doctor at the historic Bethlem Hospital and one of the four medical officers appointed at the opening of the Maudsley Hospital. Despite her groundbreaking achievements Barkas faced immense challenges, from entrenched prejudice in her professional field to...