First chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women 

Played a key role in the establishment and development of the University of Iowa Medical Department, which would become the College of Medicine 

Served two terms in the Iowa state senate and played an important part in securing $30,000 to build a new medical building adjacent to South Hall on the university campus 

Helped establish and served as a member of the state board of health 

Served as dean of the College of Medicine from 1891-1895

Introduced laboratory training and strengthened scientific inquiry in the department 

Departmental leader during the opening of the first university hospital in 1898; first birth at hospital occurred six months after its opening 

Played role in implementing recommendations of the Flexner Report, including increasing the number of patient beds at university hospital and requiring faculty to live in Iowa City and practice only at university hospital 

Served as dean of the College of Medicine from 1902-1912 and recruited new department chairs with consultation from Sir William Osler

Highly regarded as an excellent surgical technician and praised for his dexterity and operative speed 

Led department through period of stability and continuation of traditional lines of teaching— i.e., primarily didactic lectures and relatively few clinical teaching sessions

Championed new concepts in teaching and patient care 

Maternity unit consisted of two labor rooms, one delivery room, and a small ward for obstetrical care 

Established an obstetrics residency training program

Era of limited basic research, but some clinical research studies were published

Led development of a full-time, salaried department—first of its kind west of the Mississippi River 

Oversaw departmental move to new university hospital west of the Iowa River in September 1928 

Delivered first birth at new university hospital in October 1928; first gynecological procedure also occurred

Helped establish the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Organized first departmental tumor clinic; one of four hospitals nationwide with an accredited system for follow-up of cancer patients 

Led progress in undergraduate education and clinical training 

Residency rotation in endocrine laboratory established 

Postgraduate courses established

Hired additional faculty physicians, including several who achieved national prominence 

New labor and delivery suite built, providing 10 labor rooms and three delivery rooms equipped for obstetric procedures 

Continued tradition of excellence in undergraduate teaching, patient care, and exposure to clinical and laboratory investigations 

Recruited Iowa graduates to academic medicine 

Established University of Iowa Obstetric and Gynecological Alumni Society

Served as editor of journal Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Served as president of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation and the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society

First woman to lead a department at the University of Iowa and the fourth woman to lead an obstetrics and gynecology department in the U.S.

Gained recognition for her research on indomethacin as a tocolytic; vitamin B6 for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy 

Served as president of the Society of Gynecologic Investigation and the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society 

Served as co-editor of Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies for five editions over 25 years 

Oversaw increase in resident and faculty teaching awards 

Established liaison with Emma Goldman Clinic

Established a research division within the department 

Increased clinical outreach throughout Iowa with offsite clinics in Davenport, Waterloo, and Des Moines 

Expanded clinical services with the opening of Iowa River Landing location in Coralville and North Dodge Street clinic in Iowa City 

Increased departmental funding to enhance faculty recruitment and support 

Established fellowship program in female pelvic floor disorders and reconstructive surgery, giving the department approved fellowships in all subspecialties for the first time

Interim Chair

Former director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility, and former leader of the department’s in vitro fertilization program 

International reputation for expertise in improving safety of IVF through increased use of single-embryo transfer, which has influence infertility specialists around the world 

Examiner with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Served as president of Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Department Executive Officer, Jennifer R. Niebyl Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Professor with Tenure, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine