Community Engagement, Education & Research

• Born in Durham, Healthy For Life 
  Health education presentations are given by Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty and staff to health care providers and representatives from community-based organizations. The department's goal is to increase health awareness and empower individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being.
   
• Community Health Fairs and Events
  The department regularly engages in programs to bring health care services directly to the community. Participation helps the department connect with individuals who might not regularly seek health care. 
  
  Included among these programs are:
  • Queer Family Planning Health Fair hosted by Breastfeed Durham’s LGBTQ+ Committee, Aya Birth & Community Wellness, Emerald Doulas, the LGBTQ Center of Durham, Rainbow Collective for Change and Family Care
  • Annual Dance Party for Black Maternal Health hosted by Equity Before Birth 
  • Healthy Fall Festivals hosted by Duke Health 
  • What’s Best for Breasts Community Symposium hosted by Duke Cancer Institute
  • Queer Health Fair hosted by Durham LGBTQ Center
     
• Volunteerism
  The department offers volunteer opportunities with community-based organizations that are open to all and address factors that impact maternal mortality, such as access to safe food and access to health care services. 
  
  Among the volunteer events and programs offered:
  • Maternal Health Kit Donation Drive in collaboration with the Black Maternal Health Equity Initiative
  • Incontinence and hygiene product supply drive in collaboration with the Durham LGBTQ Center
  • Diaper packing event in collaboration with the North Carolina Diaper Bank
  • Back to School backpack and school supply drive in collaboration with Crayons2Calculators 
  • Children's book donation drive in collaboration with Book Harvest
  • Thanksgiving meal sponsorship in collaboration with Triangle Nonprofit and Volunteer Leadership Center
  • Supporting food equity with Urban Community AgriNomics (UCAN)

The Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology trains current and future providers to recognize system-level challenges that create barriers to care and fight against them. Providers also learn to better understand and support their patients’ needs through the several academic programs.

• Complex Family Planning Fellowship ProgramThe Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology offers a two-year fellowship in Complex Family Planning.  Leaders are trained in clinical care, research, and advocacy for wider availability of family planning options and protection of reproductive rights.
   
• Quality and Safety in Women's Health Fellowship Program
  The one-year fellowship program in Quality and Safety in Women’s Health is the first of its kind in the country; Duke Ob/Gyn trained its first fellow during the 2022-23 academic year. The program's goal is to train obstetrician/gynecologists and subspecialists to improve health care through an understanding of the principles, design and conduct of quality improvement (QI) and patient safety initiatives. Graduates of this program will have the knowledge and experience to become leaders in quality and safety in women’s health care. Graduates should expect to assume formal quality and safety leadership roles in their next appointments.
   
• Duke Reproductive Health Equity & Advocacy Mobilization (DREAM) Team
  The DREAM team is a voluntary advocacy group in the Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. It advocates for policies and laws that preserve and enhance Duke’s ability to provide evidence-based, patient-centered women’s health care to our patients.