What is Women’s Health?
Collaborative Fellowship in Women's Health
What is Women’s Health?
Acknowledging the broad range of women’s health issues that have been identified, the following definition of women’s health has been embraced:
Women’s health involves women’s emotional, social, cultural, spiritual and physical well being, and is determined by the social, political, cultural and economic context of women’s lives, as well as by biology. This definition recognizes the validity of women’s life experiences, and women’s own beliefs about, and experiences of, health. Every woman should be provided with the opportunity to achieve, sustain and maintain health, as defined by the woman herself, to her full potential.(Phillips,S. CMAJ 1995)
Historical disadvantage in the medical approach to women and their health care was the seed that created the need for this area of special interest and it would be fair to say that the approaches learned for Women’s Health could potentially be applied in the future for the care of any other disadvantaged group using this inclusive definition. This Collaborative Fellowship moves well beyond defining women by their reproductive capacity.
What is the Fellowship in Women’s Health?
As partners in women’s health issues, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and community organizations across Ottawa were surveyed to identify domains where enhanced education of physicians would help meet the health needs of the women of the region. This Fellowship year in Women’s Health was designed to educate physicians as experts and leaders in the topics identified by this broad women’s health community. It is hoped that graduates of the Fellowship will become tomorrow’s leaders in Women’s Health.
Having had our first fellow in 2002, we now have 5 years of experience. The goal was to create a Fellowship that can be entered either as a third year of Family Medicine or as a fifth year of extra training for RCPS eligible candidates. At this time, the Fellowship program is housed within the “Enhanced Skills” program within the Dept. of Family Medicine. Applicants from the RCPSC or CFPC are eligible to apply and representation from the applicant’s Dept. will be included in the program committee for review of candidates and for evaluation purposes.
Structure of the Fellowship:
The fellowship year is designed to give the fellow exposure to women’s health issues according to the broadest. The fellow will be asked to plan their year to meet their personal interests within the 10 themes of the program. There will be flexibility in balancing clinical, research and advocacy themes. (eg 40%/30%/30%) Applicants are asked to consider how they would envision their year using this framework. The potential of a second research year with links to Masters and MD/PHD program can be explored.
In planning your year of Fellowship, we ask that you consider the following outline as your template. You are required to experience each of these themes in some way or other throughout the year, either as a 1-2 mo rotation or as an ongoing thread through the entire year. The suggestions below are only a guide and there is freedom to explore your related interests. Teaching residents and students on these themes in women’s health is an expectation. (Please note that this Fellowship does not include obstetrical skills training and that application must be made to both programs if OB is to be a component.)
1. Illness presentation by gender:
This could include rotations through various specialties using a gender lens: Cardiovascular Health, Rheumatology, Primary Care, Diabetes, Endocrinology, HIV/AIDS, etc.
2. Social determinants of health:
This might be a linear theme through the year which could include research, policy, women’s studies courses, etc.
3. Disease prevention/health promotion:
This could mean a block or a year long thread with focus on smoking cessation, screening issues, breast health, HPV, pap & colposcopy, substance abuse prevention, etc.
4. Reproductive health:
Contraception, reproductive technology, gynecology skills and procedures, etc. It is also possible to organize a separate enhanced maternity skills felllowship.
5. Mental health:
PTSD, impact of violence, depression, self-image, etc.
6. Passages-lifecycle issues at any age:
The girl child, adolescent health, midlife issues, mature women’s health.
7. Cultural diversity/International Women’s Health:
This could be a rotation or a linear theme throughout the year.
8. Violence against women:
A linear theme throughout the year includes sexual assault centre call, shelter visits, counseling.
9. Advocacy:
This could be a rotation or a linear theme throughout the year could include community group involvement, policy development, law courses, etc.
10: Research in women’s health:
There would be a project required which could fall into any of the above categories and would be a linear theme throughout the year.