IN REMEMBRANCE
IN REMEMBRANCE:
DR. LEAH DICKSTEIN
AUGUST 17, 1934 -
DECEMBER 16, 2019
T
he medical community lost a gentle but passionate advo-
cate with the passing of Dr. Leah Dickstein in December.
Leah pioneered the field of medical student and resident
well-being nearly 30 years before physician burnout be-
came a buzzword and focus of attention.
Born on August 17, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York,
daughter of a Russian immigrant, she developed an early
interest in mental health. Leah helped care for her mother who
struggled with depression, and her younger sister Renee during
her father’s service in the Navy during World War II. At age 17, the
admissions director of Brooklyn College told her she had no sci-
entific ability and should abandon any dream of a medical career.
Instead, Leah earned a Master of Arts in teaching. She married
Herbert Dickstein in 1955, helping him complete medical school
in Ghent, Belgium, which he had to attend due to restrictive quo-
tas on Jews in US medical schools. On their return to the US, Leah
taught sixth graders in a public school for six years. She enrolled
at Queens College, studying pre-med courses, and was accepted at
the University of Louisville at age 32. She graduated in 1970 as one
of only six women in her class.
She stayed on at UofL as a psychiatrist, professor and admin-
istrator for the next 37 years. “Dr. D” treated, mentored and be-
friended thousands of medical students, residents, faculty and
others.
After establishing the first UofL student mental health service
in 1975, she then moved to the Health Sciences Center and con-
tinued treating medical students, residents and graduate students.
She became Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the medical
school, then Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Advocacy, a
unique office which aided not only students but faculty. She was
editor of the Health Awareness Newsletter from 1980-2002.
Her innovative Health Awareness workshops emphasized em-
powering students to improve their physical and mental health
long before this was en vogue. Leah was also raising three boys,
and understood the demands of balancing parenting with career,
and the unique demands made on medical students. This made
UofL one of the nation’s most family-friendly medical colleges.
The message: in order to take good care of others, first you learn to
take good care of yourself. Her talents were not only regional—in
time she became President of the American Women’s Medical As-
sociation, Vice President of the American Psychiatric Association
(continued on page 12)
Dr. Dickstein was a GLMS member for 49 years.
MAY 2020
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