The University of South Florida Women’s Health Collaborative will develop real-world solutions to improving health care for women through a commitment to the full spectrum of Women's Health, provided in an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach, incorporating all colleges of USF Health in research, education clinical care missions, community partnership and education and promotion of leadership by women in academic medicine.
Catherine M. Lynch, MD
Associate Vice President, Faculty Development and Women's Health
Associate Dean, MCOM Faculty Development
Professor and Director, General Obstetrics and Gynecology
Our Goals
West Central Florida Provides a rich environment for research on health care for women. The diversity in the population by socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and age provide a unique opportunity to expand the knowledge and understanding of health issues for women
USF Health has the multi-disciplinary resources necessary to investigate numerous clinical issues related to women’s health and translate this information into clinical practice
The Women’s Health Collaborative will be recognized as the top resource in the southeast United States for research on health care for women
USF Health has already taken a step toward diversifying the education of students on issues in women’s health by its development of a novel approach to the third year curriculum. Establishing a truly multi-disciplinary approach will further facilitate and expand the opportunities for educating the next generation of health care providers on best approaches to care for women.
As the Research component provides further insights into health care for women this information will be incorporated into new curricula under which providers will be trained to care for women.
Post-graduate educational opportunities will further incorporate the multidisciplinary emphasis to care for women
Future plans may include a multidisciplinary fellowship in women’s health
Support ongoing development and coordination of women’s health services at all sites of USF Health
Objectives of the clinical care component:
- Determine how to most effectively provide high quality services to all women regardless of socioeconomic or ethnic status
- Develop outcome measures to assess quality of care, patient satisfaction, and best practices
- Develop outreach centers utilizing the best practices and providing an expanded patient base for all aspects of USF Health
Develop strategies to foster recruitment, retention, and promotion of culturally diverse women in academic medicine
Develop opportunities and leadership capabilities of all women in health care
Provide opportunities that will enhance the career development of women in academic medicine through leadership seminars, involvement in continued medical education programs to build regional and national reputation, and provide research opportunities
Collaborate with the Associate Vice President for Diversity
Develop and maintain interactions with women in the community and the providers who serve them
Host ongoing community event individually and in conjunction with community agencies
Educate and empower women of all ages and stages of life to take on greater responsibilities for their own health and the health of their families
Each of the above areas will be evaluated and assessed to assure that the goals of the Collaborative are being reached
Evaluation process will provide outcome measures and to seek funding and/or assistance for activities that integrate areas
USF Women’s Health offers many opportunities for the faculty, staff, and community of USF Health. The Women’s Health Collaborative offers a supportive community for individuals interested in the topic of “Women’s Health.” Faculty are encouraged to come to this website for development topics, such as:
- Opportunities promoting interaction and synergy across USF Health for the purpose of utilizing individual faculty strengths to develop collaborative investigation, research, and education in issues related to women’s health.
- Workshops, seminars, and events to increase the skill sets of the members of the group, facilitate research and publication, aid in teaching skills, and promote presentations at national meetings to increase the visibility of USF Health.