NEW MED SCHOOL OBJECTIVES EXPAND DEFINITION OF WOMEN’S HEALTH BEYOND OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY

Public and Private Sponsors Convene to Improve the Future of Women’s Health

ORLANDO - March 4, 1998 - Today, the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) and the new APGO Women’s Healthcare Education Office announce unprecedented interdisciplinary learning objectives for medical training that expand the definition of women’s health from a myopic view of reproductive organs to a total view of a women’s entire body and life setting. Until recently, medical school training in women’s health has been limited to the six to eight week clerkship in ob-gyn which emphasizes reproductive health.

APGO has produced Essential Learning Objectives in Women’s Health, an outline of core objectives for medical students that delineates the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to develop competencies in women’s health. The Essential Learning Objectives are not designed to replace the core objectives in ob-gyn or any other discipline, but rather to be emphasized by all disciplines that care for women.

"Historically, women’s health care has been equated with reproductive care provided by ob-gyns." says Roberta Bartlett, MPH, administrator of the APGO Women’s Healthcare Education Office. "Today, educators and clinicians appreciate that a host of doctors -- from surgeons to psychiatrists to pediatricians -- also treat women for a range of illnesses, not just reproductive ones," she notes.

"We are proud to suggest that after four years of school, all medical students -- regardless of their specialty -- will have the core skills and knowledge to best care for their women patients, thanks to APGO’s Essential Learning Objectives in Women’s Health." adds Kathleen McIntyre-Seltman, MD, physician-liaison to the Women’s Healthcare Education Office.

APGO already produces Medical Student Educational Objectives in Obstetrics and Gynecology, designed for medical students rotating through a clerkship in ob-gyn but not intended to cover the entire range of women’s health education. APGO wants to distribute both this and the Essential Learning Objectives among women’s health care educators including not only ob-gyn, but also internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, psychiatry, and surgery. These objectives are intended to become a model for interdisciplinary medical educators to use when reviewing medical school curricula, and to enhance existing women’s health objectives.

Essential Learning Objectives in Women’s Health: Rationale and Structure

As the premiere women’s health specialists for the 20th century, ob-gyns are now taking the lead in today’s movement toward expanding the definition of women’s health. The Essential Learning Objectives in Women’s Health encompass not only the traditional teaching goals of obstetrics and gynecology, but also the disease, medication and social health issues that impact women in a distinct way.

With greater data and understanding for the role gender plays in the manifestation of major illnesses - such as heart disease, mental illness, arthritis, lung cancer and migraine to name a few - the urgency to equip a new generation of physicians with this vital information has become pronounced. For example, although heart disease is the number one killer of women, it continues to be overlooked in some health care settings. One reason for this may be that heart disease presents differently in women than in men. For health care providers trained in the "male model" of health care, a female patient may be easily misdiagnosed until the disease progresses to a life-threatening stage.

Likewise, there is growing evidence that volumes of medications respond differently with a women’s physiology than a man’s. As more and more women are enrolled in clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of medications, these data can significantly impact a physician’s choice of medications and/or the dosing schedule best suited for a woman.

Funded by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer, Inc, as well as contributions from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Council of University Chairs of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CUCOG), APGO and the APGO Medical Education Foundation, the Women’s Healthcare Education Office is the culmination of APGO, private industry and public sector women’s health leaders joining forces o help create a 21st century milieu in which all clinicians will have a greater expertise in caring for the special and varied needs of women.

"We are grateful to the visionary organizations, including Pfizer, ACOG and CUCOG, who are helping to advance the quality of care provided to our country’s 137 million women," said Dr. McIntyre-Seltman, physician-liaison to the Women’s Healthcare Education Office. "Through APGO’s Essential Learning Objectives in Women’s Health, we are proud to suggest that after four years of school, all medical students -- regardless of their specialty -- will have the core skills and knowledge to best care for their women patients."

Ruth Merkatz, PhD, RN, director of women’s health at Pfizer Inc, formerly director of the US Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health, also commented on the public/private initiative, "We are delighted to be able to provide support for this landmark initiative to bridge the gap in women’s health medical education."

United Vision: Women’s Healthcare Education Office Partners

The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) represents academic obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States and Canada. The Association seeks to advance and improve the study of gynecology and obstetrics by facilitating the exchange of information relating to programs of study, teaching methods, and research activities which promote excellence in the training of health care professionals who care for women. The Women’s Healthcare Education Office’s overall mission is promote and coordinate a comprehensive integrated, multidisciplinary approach to undergraduate women’s health care education in order to enhance the competency of each medical student in issues that primarily impact women’s health care, regardless of specialty choice.

Pfizer, Inc is a research based health care company with global operations. In 1997, the company reported revenues of about $12.5 billion and invested more than $1.9 billion in research and development.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is the nation’s leading group of professionals providing health care for women. Founded in 1951, ACOG’s membership has grown to more than 37,000 physicians providing health care to women. As a private, nonprofit organization, ACOG maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members; promotes patient education an involvement in medical care; and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues in health care.

The Council of University Chairs of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CUCOG) was established for the charitable and educational purposes of promoting excellence in medical education in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Through unique leadership positions of its members, the organization promotes and encourages excellence in medical student, resident, and fellowship training, clinical practice, and basic and clinical research in women’s health.

Contact: Roberta Bartlett, MPH, Administrator, APGO Women’s Healthcare Education Office (202) 314-2303