The Women’s Health concentration, within the Master’s Program in Medical Sciences, offers students the opportunity to complete graduate-level study that focuses on gender-specific topics. An increased awareness that gender-specific issues influence women’s and men’s health more broadly and with greater impact than previously recognized provides the context for this study discipline.

Differences between men and women are not limited to reproductive health, but extend to numerous organ systems and cellular functions. Recent research findings show significant differences in male and female biology, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacodynamics. Since females have been traditionally excluded from clinical trials, most of the available medical knowledge applies to men accurately but not to women. Over the past two decades, inclusion of women in clinical trials and the mandated testing of drugs on females have significantly increased our knowledge of women’s health. The Women’s Health concentration strives to employ pertinent sex-specific information to improve diagnosis, better understand pathogenesis, and ultimately advance patient-oriented therapy.

The program is targeted for all graduate level students, medical residents, and clinical professionals (including physicians, nurses, and other health related professionals) with an interest in gender-specific health. The students may elect to engage in the research pathway, where they will be supervised by mentors from the USF Morsani College of Medicine, or the social-health pathway focusing on women and societal transformation. Courses will make extensive use of the “online” Canvas organizational format through the USF portal, as well as traditional didactic lectures. Post graduates can pursue further professional training in medicine or allied health sciences.