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Dr. Dickey has served with distinction since founding The Fertility Institute in 1976, pioneering fertility advancements and teaching generations of fertility specialists as a professor at Louisiana State University and Tulane medical schools
New Orleans, Louisiana (May 18, 2022) – Dr. Richard P. Dickey, medical director at The Fertility Institute of New Orleans (FINO), is retiring after more than five decades as a leader in fertility medicine. He leaves the practice in the capable hands of FINO physicians and providers, with Dr. Warren “Jay” Huber III assuming the position of medical director.
“It is a tremendous honor to be assuming this role as medical director following Dr. Dickey’s retirement,” said Dr. Huber. “After founding the first fertility center in Louisiana, Dr. Dickey has helped thousands of couples build their families through fertility treatments. Dr. Dickey has whole-heartedly dedicated his entire career to providing cutting-edge, compassionate care to his patients in the New Orleans area, educating many of our local OB-GYNs during their training and consistently contributing to the scientific literature aimed at moving our field forward. All of the members of the FINO family hope to carry on Dr. Dickey’s legacy for years to come and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement,” said Dr. Huber.
In addition to mentoring residents of LSU’s School of Medicine OB-GYN department for decades, Dr. Dickey founded FINO, Louisiana’s first fertility clinic. With FINO, he realized his vision of providing advanced, university-level infertility care in an accessible, supportive environment serving all members of the community.
As medical director, Dr. Dickey led many advancements in fertility medicine in the Gulf South. He performed the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure and achieved firsts in egg donation and other areas. Dr. Dickey brought about the birth of the first IVF baby in Louisiana.
“After seven years of trying to conceive I learned I had severe endometriosis and was not going to be able to get pregnant without fertility treatment,” said Debra Weigand, the mother of that first IVF baby. “Dr. Dickey told me about in vitro fertilization, which was a new procedure at that time. We gave it a shot, and on Dr. Dickey’s 50th birthday I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, Elizabeth. I was the first successful IVF patient in the whole Gulf South. I went on to have my second child, Richard, with treatment from Dr. Dickey. He is such a dedicated, educated and kind man. If anyone deserves retirement, it’s him!”
Dr. Dickey’s legacy will also continue through his generosity to the LSU Health Sciences Center and his funding of the Richard Dickey Chair in Human Embryonic Development.
Dr. Huber is Assistant Professor (clinical) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine. He is also assistant professor (adjunct) in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at the school.
A skilled robotic, hysteroscopic and laparoscopic surgeon, he is focused on the best outcomes for his patients, while striving to make sure their experience with him and FINO is the best it can be. Dr. Huber believes all patient decisions should be based on biological factors, as well as emotional and financial factors, in order to serve and treat the whole person.
“We want all existing patients, and potential patients, to know that FINO will continue to be the leader in Louisiana fertility care,” said Dr. Huber. “As under Dr. Dickey, the practice will continue to evolve with the advancements in fertility medicine, while serving our patients with genuine compassion in helping them build their family.”
