Women’s Health Scholar Certificate

The Women's Health Scholar Certificate Program provides concentrated experiences in women's health spanning research, clinical training, and community outreach. It is jointly sponsored by the FOCUS program and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a newly developed certificate program as of spring 2006.

Below is a brief outline of the four components necessary for completion of a Women's Health Scholar Certificate. Since the first component, the Women's Health Intensive, involves summer between the first and second year of medical school, it is important to consider this opportunity by late Spring of the first year in order to be able to complete all four components. For more information, please contact: Patricia Scott.

Goal: To provide concentrated experiences in women's health spanning research, clinical training and community outreach.

Four Requirements: << PDF version to print >>
Upon completion of any of the four program components below, students must notifiy Ellen Martinak in order to have credit applied toward this Certificate.

1) Women's Health Intensive Summer Experience

7-weeks during the summer between 1st and 2nd year.
Choose one of the following two options:

A. Bridging the Gaps: Community Internship Program <link>

(at a women’s health/maternal child/related site)

Contact: Mary Ellen Bradley

B. Women’s Health Research Project

Find a mentor- Create a Proposal. Potential mentors are listed here. For additional guidance and information about research opportunities in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, contact any of the following:

Kurt Barnhart MD, MSCE               
Michal Elovitz MD
George Coukos MD, PhD

Submit proposal for approval to: Susmita Pati, MD, MPH

2) Women's Health Seminar Attendance

Attendance at 12 seminars between 1st and 4th year (minimum requirement)

Seminar requirements completed through attendance at Grand Rounds in the Departments of OBGYN, Endocrinology, Medicine, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health, and other departments/divisions focused on women’s health issues, as well as relevant FOCUS Lunchtime Seminars.

Contact: Marion Rossi to be placed on email notification list for OBGYN grand rounds.

To obtain credit, email: Ellen Martinak - Must indicate date, title and location of seminar.

3) Elective in Women's Health

1 month – choose one of the following 3 options:

Contact: Roz Levit or contacts below to make arrangements to participate in an elective.
Requirement: Completion of Obstetrics & Gynecology clerkship.

A. Penn Health for Women at Radnor

Coordinators: Dr. Ann Honebrink,  Director of Penn Health for Women, and Dr. Allison Oler, internist

Description:  Penn Health for Women is an interdisciplinary program dedicated to providing the highest quality health care to women of all ages. Comprehensive services are provided in one convenient location by a team of gynecologists, obstetricians, internists, pediatric & adolescent gynecologist, urogynecologist, reproductive endocrinologists, breast surgeon, psychologists, and nutritionist.  Special programs including yoga, Pilates, weight control & sleep disorders. Close collaborative relationship with other available services on site such as radiology, dermatology, cardiology and GI.

Objective:  To expose the student to multi-disciplinary, collaborative approaches to primary health care for women.  Students will have an opportunity to participate in patient care with different team members as well as meet with the Director of Operations and Patient Services and the practice manager to gain an appreciation of management issues.

Goals:

• To understand the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach to Women’s Health care
• To understand the components of appropriate preventive care for women
• To appreciate the administrative challenges and benefits of operating a multi-disciplinary ambulatory program

Availability: All months except July, August and October.

Please contact: Ann Honebrink MD ((610-902-2500) to arrange rotation time.

B. Women’s and Children’s Health Services at Pennsylvania Hospital

Coordinator: Dr. Jack Ludmir, Chair of ObGyn at Pennsylvania Hospital

Description: Women’s and Children’s Health Services (WCHS) is a not-for profit organization located on the Pennsylvania Hospital campus dedicated to providing health care services to women of all ages from our community and surrounding areas. Most of our patients are underserved and enjoy coming to WCHS because of our reputation for excellence in a caring environment. Health services include: family planning, prenatal care, colposcopy and adolescent gynecology. The care is provided by a team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and nutritionists.  Recently, WCHS has been working together with “Puentes de Salud.” This is a voluntary organization of Penn medical students, nurses and physicians, providing routine gynecologic care and prenatal care to the growing community of Mexican immigrants in South Philadelphia who are otherwise unable to get access to health care.

Objective: To familiarize the student to gynecologic and obstetric issues faced by women from underserved and diverse populations. The student will have the opportunity to be an active participant in the care of these women, and have exposure to the challenges and dilemmas in providing health care to them.

Availability: Jack Ludmir, MD and Ms. Levit will work with you to arrange a four week flexible rotation.

Please contact: Jack Ludmir, MD (215-829-3934)

C. Family Planning

Coordinators: Drs. Cori Schreiber and Steve Sondheimer, Director of Family Planning

Description:  Penn Family Planning and Pregnancy Loss Center provide a full range of contraceptive choices, option counseling, as well as medications and surgical abortion care.

Objectives:  To expose students to family planning service in the Title X Family Planning Program and abortion services in the Family Planning and Pregnancy Loss Program.  Students will participate in patient care, as well as meet with counselors, lawyers, and others involved in the provision of abortion service in Philadelphia.

Goals:

• To understand each of the contraceptive choices available, including benefits, efficacy, counseling issues, and contraindications.
• To understand options counseling and its components.
• To understand the components of the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act.
• To learn about abortion services in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
• To understand the components of medications and surgical abortion. 

Availability: Dr. Schreiber or Dr. Sondheimer with work with you and Ms. Levit to arrange a four-week flexible rotation.

Please contact: Steve Sondheimer, MD (215-662-3120 ssondheimer@obgyn.upenn.edu)

4. Women’s Health Scholarly Pursuit Project

 3 months minimum
The FOCUS Medical Student Fellowship in Women’s Health can be used to fulfill this requirement.

Contact: Kurt Barnhart MD for more information about research opportunities in Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Contact: Patricia Scott for more information about the FOCUS Fellowship

A list of faculty with women's health-related projects and with prior interest in mentoring students is here. Note: this is for reference only and is not necessarily current).