Dickens, Helen Octavia
1909-2001 · Contribution: 1950s-1980s
Obstetrician-gynecologist
Obstetrics and gynecology practice; teen pregnancy prevention programs

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1909, Dayton, Ohio
- Active since
- 1934
- Category
- Science & Medicine
- Best known for
- First Black woman in the American College of Surgeons
Impact on the world
Dickens broke a major barrier in surgery and devoted her career to women's health and to reducing teen pregnancy, while widening the path into medicine for minority students.
Sources
- NLM Changing the Face of Medicine
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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