A new model of training physicians and health care professionals in women's primary health care: the women's health scholar program

Abstract

W omen’s primary health care needs are a priority health care issue for Canada in the 1990s. Government-directed initiative&’ have highlighted the key issues facing women in Canada and the challenges to improving the level of health for Canadian women. Likewise, the medical communityqf’ has taken steps toward improving women’s health care delivery and educating future physicians about women’s health issues. Despite this, a recent survey of the directors of Canadian family medicine residency programs revealed that 90% believed that their current teaching of women’s health issues was inadequate.’ It is apparent then, that some family physicians will graduate without the appropriate training in primary women’s health care recommended in the postgraduate curriculum of the Canadian College of Family Physicians of Canada.” The purpose of this article is to outline a clinical fellowship Ior international sabbatical opportunity in women’s health offered at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, which was developed in response to the gap of knowledge in women’s health issues, and to review the experiences and evaluations of its participants over the last 4 years. The Women’s Health Scholar Program represents a new model of training physicians and health care professionals to design and provide primary women’s health care.