Junior League volunteers at the Montreal General Hospital cafeteria, 1938

In the early to mid-20th century, many young women from upper-class families volunteered through organizations such as the Junior League, fulfilling social expectations to contribute to the community. They were often assigned to schools and hospitals—environments considered safe and respectable—where they could feel useful while remaining within accepted social boundaries. For some, this exposure opened unexpected doors into the medical world. Mary Gzowski, for instance, credited her time volunteering in the Montreal General Hospital cafeteria as formative; after doctors noticed her artistic talent in a cafeteria sign she created, they invited her to produce medical sketches—an opportunity that launched her lifelong career as a medical illustrator.