What is your hometown?
I am an Iowa City native! This is my hometown.
How/when did you become interested in science and medicine?
I've always been interested in science. My interest in medicine really gelled the summer after my freshman year in college when I worked for a family service agency for the elderly. Although I mainly performed housecleaning duties, I also listened to my clients talk about their medical problems, and I figured out which social programs would be of benefit to them. Medicine provides people-contact like this, intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to help people in a very concrete way.
What interested you to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology?
It's the field I relate to most, where I've had the most interface with medicine personally. Being a women's health advocate is very important to me. I also enjoy the very hands-on, tangible aspects of OB/GYN, such as delivering babies, performing diagnostic procedures and surgically removing tumors, etc.
Is there a teacher or mentor who helped shape your career?
There are many physicians in my family, and seeing them succeed has given me the confidence that I can do this, too. My family, including my husband, has been very supportive as well.
When did you come to the University of Iowa as a faculty member? How or why did you choose the UI?
I came back to the University of Iowa in 1999, after completing an OB/GYN residency in New York. It was time to return to the Midwest, and my husband was looking for an academic pediatric residency. I was familiar with the College of Medicine from medical school, and I had great respect for my future fellow faculty.
What kinds of professional opportunities or advantages does being a faculty member at Iowa provide? What about challenges?
There is a wonderful atmosphere of collegiality and civility here. My colleagues and I take teaching very seriously. Our medical students and residents are excellent learners, too.
Please describe your professional interests.
I have found a niche in the area of family planning. I'm the medical director of the Family Planning Council of Iowa. I'm also the UI Hospitals and Clinics liaison to the Emma Goldman Clinic. In addition, I helped start the Fibroid Clinic in collaboration with Interventional Radiology, so patients can receive counseling regarding all of our available treatment options in one spot/visit.
What are some of your outside interests?
My toddler keeps me on my toes! I'm active in my church, participating in singing groups, women's fellowship and bible studies. I'm also an activist, mainly in the feminist arena. In addition, I enjoy reading, traveling, theater and fine dining!
Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your professional work?
I try to treat my patients the way I want to be treated, too. I value patient autonomy and try to give women the tools they need to make good health care decisions. I also encourage medical students and residents to consider various aspects of our advice and the limitations of medical knowledge.
"You have to be the change you want to see in the world."
--Gandhi
Last March you received the Jean Jew Women's Rights Award honoring outstanding efforts that improve the status of women on campus. Please describe how you received this honor and what it means to you to receive this distinction.
I would hope I serve as a good mentor to medical students and residents. I am an advocate for my patients and am also an advocate for women's reproductive rights and access to health care. I was very honored to receive this award. It is not always easy to be an activist, but community support like this motivates me to continue trying.
If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of medicine), what would it be?
I would raise the status of women in the world. Educating women and allowing them to make decisions regarding their lives improves the lives of their families and helps decrease poverty and overall suffering.
What is the biggest change you've experienced in your field since you were a medical student?
Hormone replacement therapy used to be viewed as a panoply for postmenopausal women; now we know the benefits do not necessarily outweigh the risks, at least in the most typical regimen used (to be continued).
What one piece of advice would you give to today's medical students?
Follow your passion regarding your career choice. If you're not passionate about your specialty, you will burn out; so don't necessarily pick the cushier or most financially rewarding field.
What do you see as "the future" of your specialty?
I see a continued trend toward more emphasis on medical management and minimally invasive surgery.
President Skorton has named academic year 2005-2006 as the "Year of Public Engagement." Please describe any ways in which you are engaged with the greater Iowa public.
I am active in my church community and in the Iowa City Area NOW (National Organization for Women) chapter. I helped restart the chapter and served as chapter president for three years until this past January. During my tenure as chapter leader, we increased our chapter visibility, built an e-mail listserv and sponsored many programs, including speakers on health topics of concern to women. We also worked to save Title IX and organized a coalition of progressive organizations to send eight buses of Iowans to the March for Women's Lives in Washington D.C. in April, 2004. Last year, I also testified in a federal court in Nebraska against the federal abortion ban.