Providence Portland: Advanced Focus in Women's Health

Responsible Faculty:  Mari Kai, M.D.; Michelle Guitteau, M.D.

Women’s Health represents an exciting component of internal medicine practice! This area includes topics that are currently being intensely studied, such as the effects of hormones on memory and cardiovascular disease, and is an excellent area for internists to develop procedural expertise.

After completing the three-year program, one of our graduating residents had this to say: “The Women’s Health Focus was one of the many things that drew me to PPMC. I have really appreciated learning more about this specific area of general internal medicine, knowing that, as a female physician I will be seeing many female patients. The Journal Clubs, special research projects, and working with an Ob/Gyn one-half day a week for a year, have really solidified my knowledge in this area.” Christy Risinger, M.D.

Goals and Objectives for the Focus include:

1. Acquiring basic and advanced skills and knowledge for taking care of women in an internal medicine practice (see “Women’s Health Evaluation/Completion Requirements” below).
2. Acquiring expertise in one specific topic within the focus.
3. Acquiring skills to implement quality improvement changes into a practice.
4. Being able to serve as a resource for other practitioners in the local community in the area of Women’s Health upon graduation.
5. Acquiring academic skills (presenting at a conference, publishing a paper or putting together a workshop).  

Women's Health Focus Evaluation/Completion Requirements

1.  Take WH Core Knowledge exam (50 questions)

• Minimum score 90%

2.  Log counseling/treatment of patients with the following conditions (goal is to log 10 visits for each condition with qualitative review of at least 2 of these visits by faculty [MK or MG]

• Contraceptive counseling
• Menopausal counseling
• Pre-menstrual Syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Urinary incontinence
• Diet & exercise counseling

3.  Recommend screening to 80% of all eligible patients for:

• Pap smears
• Mammogram
• Cholesterol Test

4.  Procedures

• 10 breast cyst aspirations
• 5 observed clinical breast exams
• 5 observed pap/pelvic
• 5 endometrial biopsy
• 5 diaphragm fitting
• 5 IUD insertion
• 5 cystometry

5. Complete WH elective - 1st half of 2nd year.

6. Complete Endocrine elective

7. Noon Conference on a WH topic

8. Completion of Spring Symposium or SGIM presentation or journal article submission (resident will choose one).

9. Completion of CQI project at PACE Center.

Women's Health Focus Time Table

(back to Advanced Focus Areas)