Connie Guion, MD Papers

Dr. Connie Guion was born in Lincolnton, NC on August 29, 1882. She was the ninth of twelve children born to Benjamin and Katherine Caldwell Guion. Her siblings were sisters: Laura (Haskell), Katherine (Babcock), Ferbia (McCombs), Ridie, Josephine (Hunt), Alice (Vason), Mary Wood (Newton), and brothers: Benjamin, Louis, Alexander, and Vivian. She attended Miss Kate Shipp's School, 1898-1900, Northfield School for Girls, 1900-1902, and Wellesley College, 1902-1906. After graduation, Dr. Guion taught chemistry at Vassar College (1906-1908) and Sweet Briar College (1908-1913). While teaching, she received a Master's Degree in Science at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

In 1913, she was admitted to the Cornell University Medical College branch in Ithaca. She graduated first in her class in 1917. She received the John Metcalfe Polk prize for general efficiency and another prize for Otology. She completed her internship and residency at the Second Medical Cornell Division at Bellevue Hospital where she fought to end the 24-hour ambulatory shifts for residents. After her residency, she worked at the Booth Memorial Hospital as an Attending Physician (1920-1926) and as Director of Department of Medicine at New York Infirmary for Women and Children (1925-1929). She also became an assistant for Dr. Frank Meara and took over his private practice upon his death in 1927.

In 1929, she became the Chief of the General Medical Clinic at the Pay Clinic (which later became the Outpatient Department of the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center). She continued this position until she retired in 1953. At the New York Hospital she began as an Assistant Attending Physician in 1932 and rose to Attending Physician status in 1943. At the Cornell University Medical College she began as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine in 1929 and in 1946 became one of the first women in the United States to be appointed a Professor in Clinical Medicine.

In addition, she was the first woman to be a member of the New York Hospital Medical Board and be elected an Honorary Governor of the Society of the New York Hospital. In 1963, the new outpatient building was dedicated the Dr. Connie Guion Building, which was the first building to be named after a living woman doctor. Dr. Guion died on April 29, 1971 at the age of 88.

Dr. Annie Parks McCombs was the niece of Dr. Connie Guion. She was the daughter of Ferbia Guion and James McCombs. She was born on March 2, 1902. She attended Connecticut College for Women (1921-1925) and Cornell University Medical Center (1925-1929). She did her internship at Second Medical Cornell Division of Bellevue Hospital. After her training, she went into private practice with her aunt. She was also a member of the Pay Clinic, which became the Outpatient Department of the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. At the hospital, she began as an Assistant Physician in 1932 and rose to Attending Physician in 1956. She also taught at the Cornell University Medical College from 1930-1975. She retired in 1975.