Every year, National Women Physicians Day celebrates the remarkable contributions of women in medicine. Feb. 3 is a day that reminds us of the incredible impact women have made in health care, particularly in healing those who have served.
At VA, women physicians are not just practitioners. They are innovators, leaders, and champions of comprehensive, compassionate care, and VA offers them a unique platform to turn medical expertise into a powerful force for healing and hope.
Trailblazers transforming Veteran health care
VA’s legacy of women’s leadership is a testament to innovation and resilience. Key pioneers have reshaped Veteran health care through groundbreaking contributions.
- Dr. Margaret D. Craighill became VA’s first chief medical consultant for women Veterans in 1946, personally selecting the initial team to address women’s unique medical needs.
- Viola Johnson broke racial barriers as the first African American woman to lead a VA hospital, directing the VA Medical Center in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1984.
- Dr. Susan Mather established 8 Women Veterans Comprehensive Health Centers in 1988, creating specialized programs that recognized women Veterans’ distinct health care requirements.
These trailblazers have paved the way for today’s women physicians to do more than just practice medicine—they can lead a movement. At VA, women physicians are part of a community of changemakers who are redefining health care for Veterans.
Finding life/work balance
For many women physicians, VA represents more than just a workplace—it’s a pathway to professional fulfillment without sacrificing personal priorities.
After bringing her expertise to VA, Dr. Nisha Mehta discovered life/work balance through finding a way to practice while still having the time to be an engaged mother to her 2 young sons.
“I realized I wanted something with fewer nights, fewer weekends,” Dr. Mehta shared. “Something that would still let me be a mom.”
At the VA health care center in Charlotte, NC, she found exactly what she was looking for: a position that allowed her to practice medicine while maintaining a family-friendly schedule.
“It was a natural fit for what I needed, and it allowed me to be a mom and still practice medicine,” she said.
Dr. Engy Habashy, a urologist and former Navy corpsman, echoed that sentiment of personal balance. When her son was born with a heart condition requiring extensive medical care, Dr. Habashy found physician well-being is considered as important as patient care at VA.
“I told myself that if I did not work for the VA, I probably couldn’t have kept my job,” she recalls. “That time would not have been allotted in the private sector.”
A mission beyond medicine
Dr. Habashy understands the VA’s mission from both sides. As a former Navy corpsman turned VA physician, she experiences the profound satisfaction of giving back to a community that shaped her own journey.
“The mission, to me, is so grand and so fulfilling, serving those who served and giving back to a community I was once a part of,” she explained. “The mission for me is the number one thing.”
VA’s woman physicians are part of something extraordinary: providing specialized care for the fastest-growing segment of the Veteran population. With over 600,000 women Veterans choosing VA for their health care needs, your expertise and perspective aren’t just valuable—they’re vital.
Women physicians at VA do more than practice medicine. They pioneer comprehensive health care solutions that honor the unique experiences of women who have served. By bringing diverse perspectives and specialized knowledge to Veteran care, they’re reshaping what health care looks like for a new generation of Veterans.
Work at VA
This National Women Physicians Day, we celebrate not just the achievements of women in medicine, but the potential for future impact.
- LEARN more about the benefits of women’s health care careers.
- EXPLORE our efforts to support women Veterans.
