Women2Women - Summer 2017 - 12

Dr. Fredericka Heller

OB-GYN, Owner of Women's Lifecycles, Reading, PA

"Every ten years a woman's medical problems
can change, from contraception to babies
and menopause. It's a very exciting, diverse,
fascinating field."
Dr. Fredericka Heller is "working two full-time jobs at 71 and having
a great time." She loves getting up in the morning and going to her
own Berks County practice, Women's Lifecycles, and "taking care
of women, trying to solve their problems."

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After graduating from Vassar College with a degree in history and
political science, Heller struggled with her graduate school applications for medical school, as "many schools weren't taking women at
the time." One school "wouldn't even interview me because I was
female," said Heller. She took pre-med courses at Albright College,
received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and
did specialized training in OB-GYN. "That's 14 years of school till
I could open my own practice," said Heller.
Upon receiving her M.D., Heller was one of the first women on
the OB-GYN staff at Reading Hospital, and "they weren't happy
about it," she said. Eventually, Heller realized that "none of the men
would hire any of us," so she opened her own practice. Now, women
have become very popular as doctors, especially ones specializing
in OB-GYN.
Heller hopes that "the changes in medicine don't take away the fun
in medicine." Though surviving in today's medicine as an independent
physician is an immense financial challenge, being independent and
having her own practice makes her happy. She especially enjoys doing
robotic, minimally invasive surgery and speaking fluent Spanish. "All
of that is very fulfilling," said Heller.
Heller described the most important quality to have as a gynecologist is the "fascination with continuing to learn new things. And for
myself, an interest in women's healthcare and solving problems for
women. Every ten years a woman's medical problems can change,
from contraception to babies and menopause. It's a very exciting,
diverse, fascinating field."

12 Women2Women Summer 2017
ISSUE: 1707

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