Patients who give birth at Duke University Health System now benefit from a unique inpatient physical therapy program specifically structured to address postpartum needs. Duke Health is one of a limited number of health systems in the country to offer this type of program, which was conceptualized two years ago by an innovative, multidisciplinary team of physical therapists and ob/gyns. The program launched in August 2023.

In August of 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released a memo announcing major changes to how federally funded scholarly research is shared with the public. Starting in 2025, all federal funding agencies will require investigators to make their research articles and associated data openly available immediately upon publication, without an embargo by the authors or the publisher.

November 10, 2022 recognizes Genetic Counselor Awareness Day, which is sponsored by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (nsgc.org). Genetic Counselor Awareness Day is dedicated to raising awareness and utilization of genetic counselors in communities and institutions. The goal of the NSGC is to help consumers understand the importance of the supportive roles of genetic counselors in healthcare.

An Interview with Dr. Jonas Swartz by Aarushi Venkatakrishnan, Duke Center for Global Reproductive Health

Spotlight: Duke Clinical & Translational Science Institute KL2 Scholar Sarahn Wheeler, MD 

In partnership with Diaper Bank of North Carolina, KL2 Scholar Dr. Sarahn Wheeler has been researching barriers to preterm birth preventive care in Black women. The ultimate goal of this research project is to help reduce the burden of preterm birth for Black women.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month/Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. Gynecologic Oncologist Angeles Secord, MD, MHSc, shares insight on ovarian cancer in this Duke Cancer Institute article, and is committed to conducting innovative research with nationally renowned colleagues to provide options for cancer patients through clinical trials and ongoing studies. 

Megan Huchko, MD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, describes her experience and motivation that led her to a career as an implementation scientist, what led her to conduct research in East Africa and the effectiveness of cervical cancer prevention. 

How did you originally get interested in global health?

Jennifer Gilner, MD, PhD , Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, describes the experiences and motivations that led her to a career as a physician-scientist in high risk obstetrics, and current challenges she is leveraging Departmental and SOM resources to address. She serves as Medical Director of the Duke University Hospital Birthing Center.

Describe your path to becoming a physician-scientist in obstetrics.

Susan K. Murphy, PhD , Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Sciences, describes how she became involved in this area of research and her most surprising discoveries to date.

What kind of research are you engaged in?

Duke urogynecologists evaluate and treat women with the full spectrum of conditions related to the bladder and reproductive organs. Patients are seen by both urogynecologists and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) to find the best treatment plans for patients. The team works together as a whole to provide a spectrum of care.

Learn more about urogynecology APP Cassandra Shaw, MSN, WHNP-BC
    Nurse Practitioner – Obstetrics and Gynecology
    Duke Urogynecology – Durham, NC