In the history of medicine, women’s contributions loom large. Family medicine wouldn’t be the same without female practitioners’ work in research and patient care. However, women haven’t always been able to contribute to medical knowledge and practice.
Female pioneers in the field of medicine had to break through barriers of prejudice and unfair restriction. Looking back at history reveals how important it’s been for women to be fairly included as doctors, researchers, and medical practitioners.
This March, our team at Living Water Clinic celebrates Women’s History Month. In this blog, we introduce you to Alma Corvera, PA, FP, one of the many talented, compassionate women in our family practice, which serves the communities in and around Porterville, Lindsay, Visalia, and Woodlake, California.
An accredited physician assistant (PA) practicing in the Woodlake, California area, she specializes in obstetrics and women’s health, vitamin D deficiency, and eyelid bumps. Living Water Clinic appreciates her experience and expertise and values her as part of our team of primary care and family medicine providers.
PA Corvera completed her medical education through the University of California Davis, graduating from the FNP/PA Program in Sacramento, California, in 1996. She has extensive experience in the field and has provided care to patients across central California through Kaweah Health.
She is licensed by the state to practice many routine but important parts of your medical care. That includes prescribing medications, recording medical histories, and ordering lab tests and X-rays. PA Corvera also performs physical exams and provides vaccinations.
It hasn’t always been easy for dedicated women like PA Corvera to use their skills to support the health and wellness of their communities. The history of women in medicine includes many trailblazers who broke through restrictions that limited the roles women had in medical practice.
The first female physicians pursued medical degrees in the 1800s, facing prejudice and closed doors again and again. Today, the American Medical Association records that more than 35% of the physicians in the United States are female.
Female medical pioneers who persisted in the face of unfair restrictions changed the practice of medicine for the better. Without women in medicine, we wouldn’t have the Apgar test, which measures newborn babies’ health, or the American Red Cross, which was founded by Clara Barton in 1881.
Many women care for community health as physician assistants, as well. Joyce Nichols, PA, the first female physician assistant in the US, was formally certified in 1970, and practiced in North Carolina. Since then, female PAs have provided needed support and care to patients around the nation, making a significant difference in many patients’ lives and current and long-term health.
Practitioners like PA Corvera use their knowledge and skills to protect your health and wellness, no matter your gender or age. At Living Water Clinic, we aim to provide patients with the highest possible standard of culturally sensitive medical care.
That’s why we welcome walk-in appointments, provide telemedicine care, work with our patients on sliding fee schedules for payment, and offer treatment in languages including English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, French, and basic Wolof.
For comprehensive and caring family medicine support, contact the Living Water Clinic location nearest to you today.
