On Apr. 2, 1894, Esther Clayton graduated from the University of Oregon Medical School. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Clayson married her classmate, Emil Pohl, and the two set up a private practice in Portland, where she worked as an obstetrician and her husband as surgeon.

She was the the second woman to graduate from the Medical School, and the first to practice medicine. She was a pioneer member of the Portland Board of Health. From 1907-1909 she was health officer and chairman of the board, the first woman in the U.S. to hold such a position.

She founded the Medical Women’s International Association and was chosen chairman of the executive board for the AWH and served until her death in 1967. Dr. Pohl Lovejoy traveled broadly to alleviate the suffering of war, famine, revolution and poverty.