Luella Mae Bare Voogd Klein-Colquitt (October 24, 1924 – January 13, 2019) was an American obstetrician-gynecologist. She was the Charles Howard Candler Professor at

Emory University School of Medicine The Emory University School of Medicine is the graduate medical school of Emory University and a component of Emory’s Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Before it was established as the Emory School of Medicine in 1915, the school ...

. She became the first female department chair in at Emory School of Medicine on March 1, 1986. She was the first female president of the

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a professional association of physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology in the United States. Several Latin American countries are also represented within Districts of ...

. Klein was an advocate for equality in healthcare for adolescent, low-income, incarcerated, and LGBTQI+ women, women of color, women with disabilities, women with HIV, and other underserved populations.

Early life and education

Klein was born in

Walker, Iowa Walker is a city in Linn County, Iowa. The population was 688 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa metropolitan area. History Walker began as an outgrowth of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway. It was named in ...

to Leah Stunkard and Elmer De Witt Bare of

. She Graduated '' suma cum laude'' from

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

with a bachelor of arts in 1946. She completed her M.D. at University of Iowa in 1949 and was elected to

Alpha Omega Alpha Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society () is an honor society in the field of medicine. Alpha Omega Alpha currently has active Chapters in 132 LCME- accredited medical schools in the United States and Lebanon. It annually elects over 4,000 new ...

. She was one of two women in her class. She interned at Case Western Reserve University and completed training in internal medicine and general surgery before doing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology in 1955.

Career

Klein joined the obstetrics and gynecology faculty at the Case Western School of Medicine. From 1955 to 1957, she attended

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

as a Fulbright scholar. From 1958 to 1960, she was an obstetrics consultant for the

Georgia Department of Public Health The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is the principal state agency of Georgia responsible for disease prevention, promoting health as well as disaster preparedness, in conjunction with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). I ...

. Klein was the assistant director of clinical research at Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse, New York from 1965 to 1967. In 1967, she joined the faculty at Emory University. In 1988, she was made the Charles Howard Candler Professor. She served as the first woman of the department of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University from 1986 to 1993. She retired from Emory University at the age of 89. Klein was an advocate for equality in healthcare for adolescent, low-income, incarcerated, and LGBTQI+ women, women of color, women with disabilities, women with HIV, and other undeserved populations. She made contributions to women's healthcare and reproductive health policy.

Personal life

Klein was married to Alfred O. Colquitt who died in 2005. She died on January 13, 2019, at the age of 94. Klein was survived by 3 stepsons, 9 grandchildren, 8 grandchildren, and 3 nieces and nephews. A service was held at the Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on the Emory University campus.

Awards and honors

Klein was fellow of the

(ACOG) and served as the first woman president of the organization in 1984. She was a member of the Institute Of Medicine. Klein received the

Elizabeth Blackwell Medal The Elizabeth Blackwell Medal is awarded annually by the American Medical Women's Association. The medal is named in honor of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States and a pioneer in promoting the educ ...

. The ACOG named the Luella Klein Lifetime Achievement Award in her honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Luella 2019 deaths People from Linn County, Iowa University of Iowa alumni Case Western Reserve University faculty 20th-century American physicians 21st-century American physicians 20th-century American women physicians 21st-century American women physicians American obstetricians American gynecologists Women gynaecologists Emory University School of Medicine faculty Members of the National Academy of Medicine American women academics 1924 births