Dickens would seek guidance from Dr. Elizabeth Hill, the first black female physician to graduate from the University of Illinois, who walked Dickens through registration and admission to medical school at her alma mater. While attending, Dickens would have to sit in the front of her class to avoid the day-to-day racist comments from white students.
Once she graduated, Dickens would head straight to the poor areas of the city to help the blacks in the community. She completed her internship at Provident, a black hospital on the south side of Chicago, treating patients for tuberculosis. Her work conditions were extreme; she once had to deliver a baby in the dark because her patient couldn’t afford electricity. After that, Dickens decided to obtain her degree in obstetrics and gynecology.
In 1950, Dr. Dickens became the first African-American woman fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
The good doctor didn’t just practice in the hospitals; she provided information on preventing women’s health and sexual issues through education. She spent many hours teaching women and families how to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs. She’s been recognized by the American Cancer Society and the Girl Scouts of America, but most importantly, she was a mentor for her own daughter, Dr. Jayne Henderson Brown.
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is home to the Helen O. Dickens Center for Women’s Health.
