Maude Abbott

Maude Elizabeth Seymour Abbott (March 18, 1868 – September 2, 1940) was a Canadian physician and medical researcher whose work contributed to the early study of congenital heart disease.

She was among the first women in Canada to earn a medical degree and one of the first women to receive a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. After being denied admission to McGill’s medical faculty, she completed her medical education at Bishop’s University and went on to develop a career in pathology, medical curation, and clinical research. Abbott held curatorial and teaching roles at McGill, co-founded the International Association of Medical Museums, and published extensively, including the Atlas of Congenital Cardiac Disease (1936). She was also involved in professional organizations supporting women in medicine. Abbott later received an honorary medical degree from McGill and was posthumously recognized through several national and institutional honours.