Dagmar Berne

Berne was born in Bega, New South Wales on 16 November 1866, the eldest daughter of eight children. Her father, a migrant to Australia from Denmark, died when Berne was young when attempting to save a drowning man in the Bega River, but he drowned himself. Her mother's second husband, a pastoralist, died when Berne was a teenager, prompting the family to move to Sydney. ==Education==

Schooling Berne's mother, Georgina Kenyon, intended to give all her children a good education. Berne was enrolled in the Springfield Ladies' College in Potts Point. Unsatisfied with the subjects on offer – which included needlework, deportment and dancing – Berne persuaded her mother to arrange private tutoring, The sisters found premises in the southern suburb of Tempe, prepared materials, and interviewed families of prospective students, before Berne unexpectedly was informed she had passed the entrance exams and was admitted to study at the University of Sydney, just days before the school she and her sister founded was scheduled to open. Florence Berne continued without her elder sister, and taught a school of six students, including two of the younger Berne sisters. Berne became the first woman to study medicine in Australia, against the protests of the Dean of Medicine, Professor Anderson Stuart, one of several senior staff at the university who questioned the admission of female students, despite outwardly accepting it. ==Career==

She was one of eighteen Australian women licensed to practice in Scotland in the 19th century, and one of eleven thereof to obtain the Triple Qualification. Following this, Berne worked at a hospital in the London suburb of Tottenham as a resident, before returning to Australia in 1895. On 9 January 1895, Berne registered to practise as a doctor with the Medical Board of New South Wales. Previous women to register in Australia included Dr. Constance Stone, Victoria and Dr. Margaret Amelia Corlis, (Department of Public Instruction Sydney, 13 May 1892 - New South Wales Medical Board Sydney, 11 May 1892 - 1,766). She opened a practice in Macquarie Street, Sydney the same year. Her sister Eugenie came to live with her and persuaded her to take tests due to her continuing symptoms, despite the better Australian weather. ==Later life and death==

Berne was ultimately diagnosed with tuberculosis, and moved to the rural town of Trundle to stay with family friends, in the hope that the drier climate would be good for her health. She continued to practice in Trundle until her death in 1900. ==Legacy==

Following Berne's death, her mother established the Dagmar Berne Prize in her honour, which is awarded annually to the final-year medical student at the University of Sydney with the highest marks. Dagmar and Berne Streets in St Peters are named in her honour. ==References==