By Michael Woestehoff, CEO
MPS (Navajo)
In 1976, Dr. Victoria Mary Stevens became the first Native American woman to earn a medical degree from the University of Arizona, and her journey back home to Globe still shows Native women in medicine what is possible.
From a San Carlos Apache Ranch to Medical School
Born in Globe in 1951 to a San Carlos Apache father, Victoria grew up in Globe and later on the family ranch on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, according to her Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame profile. She graduated from Globe High School in 1969, was San Carlos Rodeo Queen as a girl, and was crowned Tucson Rodeo Queen in 1970. She entered the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 1973 as a Mead Johnson Scholar and earned her M.D. three years later.
A Surgeon Who Brought Specialty Care Home
After her internship, she served two years with the Indian Health Service Commissioned Corps to meet a scholarship obligation, as the Arizona Silver Belt reported in 2018 when the Association of American Indian Physicians named her Physician of the Year. She finished orthopedic surgery residency in Phoenix in 1983, opened a private orthopedic practice in Globe with Dr. Jody Daggett in 1984, earned board certification in 1987, and became chief of staff at Cobre Valley Community Hospital in 1999, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Why Her Path Still Matters for Native Practitioners
Her story shows how scholarships, service, and a hometown practice can keep specialists in rural and Tribal communities for decades. Native students today can pursue a similar route through Indian Health Service scholarship and loan repayment programs that include service commitments.
During Native American Heritage Month, Ellsworth, a Native-owned healthcare staffing company serving IHS, Tribal and 638, and rural facilities, honors Dr. Stevens and every Native practitioner who carries care back home. If you are a Native student or clinician considering a career in Indian Country, we would be glad to help you find your next step.
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