WEST PARIS — West Paris Historical Society will host an author talk by Annette Vance Dorey on Monday, Sept. 15. She will speak about her research and the women who fill her recent book, “Maine’s Pioneering Female Physicians, 1850s-1920.”

Why was it so hard for females to gain admission to medical schools? Which early colleges accepted women who pursued a medical career? Were those women mainly married or single?

Dorey will answer those questions and more. This book tells the stories of the personal and professional lives of women long forgotten. Women had to be strong and determined to earn their medical degrees and pursue careers as doctors when it was still a man’s profession.

Some were married to other doctors. Some were married to medicine and remained single. Many were Maine natives who traveled far for their medical training. Many came from other states and chose to establish medical careers in Maine.

The women varied in background, family life, medical training and medical disciplines. “It’s time to learn about and remember these women,” says Dorey. “Their struggles and stories have been lost or neglected all these years.”

An impressive number of these women were very involved in their professional medical associations, as well as in woman suffrage organizations. The goal for many was to see equal rights granted to American women — not only in medicine.

The biographical profiles of Maine’s earliest female practitioners shed new light on the conditions and the decisions faced by those women, as well as their contributions to their communities and to medicine. About a half-dozen early healers were raised or worked in Oxford County.

Dorey’s newest book was released in March: “Maine’s First Female Doctors.” It is an easy-reader edition for young adults and for anyone who prefers larger print. It has an extensive glossary of definitions and a detailed timeline of medical history. Chapters end with activities that allow readers to become personally involved with the women’s stories and the research.

Dorey’s recent books include “Maine Mothers Who Murdered 1875 to 1925: Doing Time in State Prison.” It has attracted wide attention since its release in 2012. It gives a detailed look at women in Maine’s early criminal justice and corrections systems. Thirty murder cases serve as the backdrop.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. Advance copies of books are available through the author’s website, Annette-Writes.com.

This event is held at the Historical Society on Main Street. A potluck supper begins at 6 p.m., followed by a brief business meeting, then the author’s program. This event is open to all. For more information about the Society, call Betty Jones at 207-674-2507.