Women's Health Track

The Women’s Health Track has been developed to provide clinical and research experience in women’s health and gender-based medicine. Residents in this track will receive this education in conjunction with the usual training in the categorical program. Interest in participating in the track is determined after matching in the categorical residency program. Upon completion of the Women’s Health Track, graduates will be well prepared for pursuing academic careers in women’s health, including further specialty training.

The women’s health clinical experience begins in the PGY-1 year. Each PGY-1 trainee in the track will begin a half-day general medicine continuity clinic at the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation (NMFF). This will be supervised by a faculty member in the Division of General Internal Medicine with expertise in the prevention, evaluation and treatment of ambulatory conditions of particular importance for women. During the PGY-2 and 3 years, residents will add a second weekly continuity clinic at NMFF or another site where they will have significant exposure to women’s health. Over the three year residency, residents will be required to complete two month long women’s health blocks. During these months, residents rotate through a variety of subspecialty clinics which focus on women’s health. These clinics include but are not limited to osteoporosis, breast cancer, gynecology, breast oncology, musculoskeletal disorders in women, polycystic ovarian disease, and cardiovascular health.

Residents are encouraged to work on a research project in an area related to women’s health during their PGY-2 or PGY-3 year. During the fall of their intern year, residents will meet with the Women’s Health Track director to work on identifying potential topics and mentors. Each resident in the Women’s Health Track will have the option of a 2-month research block in the PGY-2 year. As an alternative to a research project, residents may do their PGY-2 or PGY-3 resident talk (requirement of categorical program) in an area pertaining to women’s health.

Residents will be expected to attend and present at least once at the quarterly Women’s Health Journal Club. Each journal club will review two articles that highlight important new developments in various areas of women’s health.

For further information, contact:
Nancy Dolan, MD
Director, Women’s Health Track
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of General Internal Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Phone: 312-695-4689
Email: ndolan@nmff.org 

Interested applicants should apply to the categorical program and contact the program director for any further information.

Women's Health Resident Research

Click here for a list of residents' research

Recent articles reviewed in Women’s Health journal club:

Click here for a list of past journal club topics

Career pathways of recent Women's Health Track Graduates

2012
Kristen Kobaly: Endocrinology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania
Allison Lyons: Chief Resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital 2012-2013; General Medicine Practice in Virginia starting in 2013
Jami Rothe: Gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Chicago

2011
Laura Cowen: Endocrinology fellowship at Geogetown University
Nisha Mohindra: Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Northwestern University

2010
Meg Fitzpatrick: Chief Resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital 2010-2011 ; Infectious Disease Fellowship Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Kate Petrungaro: General Medicine Practice, Chicago
Joy Tsai: Hospitalist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital 2010-2011; Endocrinology Fellowship Massachusetts General
Laura Zimmerman: Health Services Research fellowship at the Institute for Healthcare Studies at Northwestern University

2009
Rashmee Shah: Cardiovascular Research/Outcomes fellowship Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Sarah Tofilon: Hematology/Oncology fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

2008
April Hadsaitong: General Internal Medicine Practice, Northwestern faculty, Chicago, IL
Margaret Katie Yu: Nephrology fellowship, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Charlotta Weaver: Hospitalist, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Alexis Dunne: General Internal Medicine Practice, Chicago, IL

2007
Jessica Montalvo: Hospitalist, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Joy Shen: Endocrinology fellowship Beth Israel Deaconness, Boston, MA
Neeta Venapalli: Hematology/Oncology fellowship, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Galina Smushkin: Endocrinology fellowship, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

2006
Christine Hsieh: Rheumatology fellowship, UCSF, San Francisco, CA

2005
Sujani Ganga: Hematology/Oncology fellowship, Mt Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Jenna Choi: General Internal Medicine Practice, Washington, D.C.

Alumnus Margaret Yu (2008) has kept up her interest in women’s health as a fellow. She recently presented an abstract at the 2011 American Society of Nephrology meeting on gender differences in diabetic kidney disease. See the abstract here: http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASN/29590