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Dr. Pearl Tang (January 11, 1922-2021) was an obstetrician and gynecologist credited with decreasing infant mortality in Arizona.
Biography
[edit]Pearl Tang was born on January 11, 1922 in Shanghai. She was the fourth child of five born to Mabel Wong and David Mao. Mao had been born in Hawaii and attended medical school in Kansas before meeting and marrying Wong while teaching in China.[1]
Pearl attended private British schools from grade through high school, graduating high school in 1938. She began her undergraduate degree at the University of Aurora in Shanghai. While she began studying mechanical engineering, she switched to medicine, graduating with a medical degree in 1945. Pearl moved to Quebec City after graduating to complete her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Hôpital du St-Sacrement.[1]
In 1945, Pearl met Thomas Tang at a Thanksgiving dinner a church in China organized for American soldiers. They corresponded through letters while Pearl was in residency and he was completing his undergraduate degree. In 1947, Pearl completed her residency, converted to Catholicism, and married Thomas Tang. They later moved to Phoenix, Arizona.[1]
In Phoenix, Tang experienced discrimination, making it difficult for her to practice as a physician. When Tang tried to apply for a medical license to practice in Arizona, she was denied due to her foreign status. She was also unable to attend medical school again, as she had a medical degree already.[1]
In 1948, the Tangs moved to Tucson, Arizona. They both attended the University of Arizona– Pearl studied for her masters degree while Thomas studied law. They both graduated in 1950, and returned to Phoenix wher Tangjoined the U.S. Public Health Service Communicable Disease Center in Phoenix doing microbiology work studying diarrheal diseases.
Thomas used his new law degree to appeal to the State Board of Medical Examiners for Pearl to take the licensing exam. In 1951, Pearl passed, making her the first Asian woman to become a licensed physician.
- ^ a b c d Lakshmeeramya, Malladi (2017-06-23). "Pearl Mao Tang (1922– )". Embryo Project Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2024-09-17.