Head of the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Assistant Professor, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology
Case Medical Center
Cleveland, OH
As a sophomore I took the WGSS senior seminar on women and science which sparked my interest in obstetrics and gynecology. I knew that I was pre-med, but my exposure through the WGSS department at Williams helped sparked my interest in medicine as it pertains to women and women’s health. I also knew before that time that I was probably interested in surgery. So based on my experience as a sophomore in WGSS, I chose to pursue a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology– in my view a combination of women’s studies and medicine.
I went on to medical school at Ohio State where I was exposed to female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (also called urogynecology), a specialty that includes: urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, menopause/aging issues, and congenital abnormalities– issues unique to women for the most part. It is the perfect combination of gynecology, women’s health, plastic surgery, and urology. I went on to residency at Washington University in St. Louis/ Barnes-Jewish Hospital in obsteterics and gyneocology and then a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL.
[Now] I only see women and although most of my patients are 50 years old and up, they range from 15 to 95. I keep women out of diapers/pads and keep things that shouldn’t fall out (from a gynecologic standpoint) from falling out. I help them to not have pain during intercourse and to not have to urinate every 15 minutes and to not leak when they cough and sneeze. I give them their lives back. As my husband likes to say, “She gives women dignity.” I don’t deliver babies or do pap smears, but I am the person women come see if they have a problem in the pelvic area that is beyond the scope of their general gynecologist. Many of my patients are ever so grateful to be seeing a women for these issues who they feel can understand them and who they are not embaressed to talk to. Once a woman sees me, she often tells all the women she knows. As a result, I take care of many mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends based on personal referrals. I am well regarded in Cleveland as a valuable resource for women’s health and supporter of women and their quality of life.