Â鶹APP

Virginia Apgar speaking to the President’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped Photo sourced from

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Virginia Apgar

Virginia Apgar born June 7th 1909 was an American physician, obstetrical anesthesiologist and medical researcher, best known for her invention of the Apgar Score, a way to quickly assess the health of a newborn child immediately after birth in order to combat infant mortality. 

In 1952, she developed the 10-point Apgar score to assist physicians and nurses in assessing the status of newborns. Given at one minute and five minutes after birth, the Apgar test measures a child’s breathing, skin color, reflexes, motion, and heart rate. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting facts about her;

1.Apgar was born as the youngest in a family of three children in Westfield, New Jersey

Apgar was born as the youngest in a family of three children in Westfield, New Jersey as the daughter of Helen May (Clarke) and Charles Emory Apgar. Her father was a business executive and amateur astronomer whose amateur radio work exposed an espionage ring during World War I.

Her older brother died early from tuberculosis, and her other brother had a chronic illness, which made her want to study and research on the many diseases that had become a problem to many across the globe and which were taking lives without stopping. 

2.She graduated from high school and later from the college with a degree in Zoology

Virginia Apgar, American physician who introduced the Apgar Score Photo sourced from

She graduated from Westfield High School in 1925, knowing that she wanted to be a doctor. Apgar graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1929, where she studied zoology with minors in physiology and chemistry, making her a role model to the minors. 

In 1933, she graduated fourth in her class from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) and completed a residency in surgery at P&S in 1937.She was now ready to face the world and give it her best, to help those in need. 

Read more about her here

3.She was discouraged to continue surgery career and opted for anesthesiology 

She was however,  discouraged by Allen Whipple, the chairman of surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, from continuing her career as a surgeon because he had seen many women attempt to be successful surgeons and ultimately fail.

He instead encouraged her to practice anesthesiology because he felt that advancements in anesthesia were needed to further advance surgery and felt that she had the “energy and ability” to make a significant contribution and finally she opted for anesthesiology which she trained for 6 months. 

4.Apgar was also into music 

Virginia Apgar playing her violin Photo sourced from

Apgar was also into music as music was an integral part of her family life since she was young, with frequent family music sessions. Apgar played the violin while her brother played piano and organ. She could travel with her violin, often playing in amateur chamber quartets wherever she happened to be.

During the 1950s, a friend introduced her to instrument-making, and together they made two violins, a viola and a cello. She always carried her Violin wherever she was because she gel music was her consolation in whatever situations they she was faced with. 

5.She also enjoyed other activities apart from her main work in the medical world

Dr. Virginia Apgar with her favorite music instrument, the Violin Photo sourced from

She also enjoyed other activities apart from her main work in the medical world. She was an enthusiastic gardener and enjoyed fly-fishing, golfing and stamp collecting. This she could do during her free time and whenever she was not busy working as an anesthesiology. 

In her fifties, Apgar started taking flying lessons, stating that her goal was to someday fly under New York’s George Washington Bridge. She however could not do it because didn’t have the time, her job was always wanting and this made her not complete her desire.  

6.Apgar became the first woman to become a full professor at P&S and did research work 

Apgar became the first woman to become a full professor at P&S, where she remained until 1959. During this time, she also did clinical and research work at the affiliated Sloane Hospital for Women, still a division of New York–Presbyterian Hospital.

In 1953, she introduced the first test, called the Apgar score, to assess the health of newborn babies. This is after she realized that the rate of child deaths at birth was still constantly high and sought to stop it by doing thorough research on it to find a remedy. 

Read more about her in Top 10 Most Famous Doctors in the world

7.She received several awards in her career

She received several awards in her career including; The Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (1966) and the Elizabeth Blackwell Award, from the American Women’s Medical Association (1966). 

She also won the Alumni Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1973), the Ralph M. Waters Award, American Society of Anesthesiologists (1973) and Woman of the Year in Science, Ladies Home Journal (1973).

8.Apgar was also honored severally and inducted into the hall of fame

Apgar was also honored severally and inducted into the hall of fame. These honors include; Honorary doctorate, Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1964), Honorary doctorate, Mount Holyoke College (1965. Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, the American Public Health Association, and the New York Academy of Sciences.

She was also an Inductee into the New Jersey Hall of Fame (2020), a feat very few people had accomplished over the years. She was inducted several years after her demise, which shows how much her efforts have been recognized more so in the medical industry. 

9.She left behind a legacy and has been recognized for her contribution and achievements

Virginia Apgar, American physician who introduced the Apgar Score Photo sourced from

Apgar has continued to earn posthumous recognition for her contributions and achievements. In 1994, she was honored by the United States Postal Service with a 20¢ Great Americans series postage stamp. In November 1995, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.

She has also been recognized continually, for example in 1999, when she was designated a Women’s History Month Honoree by the National Women’s History Project. On June 7, 2018, Google also celebrated Apgar’s 109th birthday with a Google Doodle. 

10.Apgar never married or had children and died of Cirrhosis aged 65 on 7th August 1974

Apgar never married or had children of her own, and died of cirrhosis on August 7, 1974, aged 65 at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. She is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield and she is survived by a brother, Lawrence C. Apgar, of Pocono Lakes, Pa. 

She has an award named her, “The Virginia Apgar Award” which is given every year by the American Academy of Pediatrics for outstanding contributions to the field of perinatal pediatrics. She is gone but her memory lives on through such honors.