Martina Castells Ballespí also known as Martina Castells i Ballespí (1852-1884), was one of the first Spanish women to earn a PhD in medicine. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1874, and earned her PhD in 1882. In her thesis she supported physical, moral and intellectual education for women.
In Lleida there is a street called Martina Castells Ballespí, where a bust of her can be seen, and in Reus, an avenue is named after her.
Further reading
- Corbella, Jacinto, and Domenech, Edelmira. "A question of priority: Helena Maseras, Dolors Aleu, Martina Castells," in Proceedings of the First International Congress of the History of Catalan Medicine (Montpellier), 1970, vol. I, pp. 139–142.