The UAB Women’s Health Track (WHT) was established in 1999 by Co-Founders, Drs. Teresa Bryan and Emily Boohaker for residents who have a strong interest in providing services that are unique to women in the Primary Care setting.
Our Mission
The UAB WHT mission is to equip resident physicians to provide Women’s Health Care in the ambulatory setting through clinical experiences, structured curricula and robust mentorship.
What can residents expect?
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Comprehensive Internal Medicine Training
The UAB WHT is a post-match option available to ALL UAB Internal Medicine residents who would like to broaden their exposure to female specific gender care. Residents in this track spend the same amount of time on inpatient wards and consult services as other residents in the categorical training program.
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Women's Specific Care Training
WHT Residents develop expertise performing the following clinical skills:
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breast exams
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pelvic exams
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cervical cancer screening
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wet prep interpretation
WHT Residents develop expertise medically managing and counseling regarding the following conditions in their female patients: family planning and preconception counseling, contraception, menstrual dysfunction, sexually transmitted infections, acute and chronic vaginitis, menopause hormone therapy, vasomotor symptoms, breast cancer screening, osteoporosis and bone health, vitamin D deficiency, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Intimate Partner Violence, chronic migraine, anxiety, depression, and continence care.
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Curricular Experiences
All WHT residents are invited to attend an ambulatory resident-let Women's Health conference approximately every other month and WHT Journal Club once per semester.
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Clinical Care
VA Women's Clinic
PGY2-4 residents will participate in the VA Women's Primary Care Clinic and VA Women's Screening Clinic during their non-ward months. Select PGY1 residents will be offered clinical experiences as space allows. These clinics are located at the VA Primary Care Annex and provide residents the opportunity to act as consultant services for local VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics and provide comprehensive primary care to female veterans.Ambulatory Block Months
We have a strong relationship with several specialty clinics and are able to offer the women’s health track residents experiences in colposcopy clinic, osteoporosis clinic, weight loss medicine clinic, breast clinic, continence clinic, and others.Additional Training
Additional training may include Long Term Reversible Contraception placement training, such as subdermal implants and intrauterine devices, based on available opportunities.Mentoring
The women’s health track faculty are a dedicated group of general internal medicine faculty members. They are eager to provide one-on-one mentoring for any of the Women’s health track residents along with the planned interactions noted above.Beyond Residency
Women’s health track residents uniformly feel well prepared to move beyond residency into a variety of career pathways. Recent graduates of the track have entered cardiology, endocrinology, geriatrics, palliative care, primary care and academic general internal medicine.
Interested?
The Women's Health Track at UAB is a post-match option for interested residents. Residents will not officially join the track until their second year. Interns interested in the Women's Heath Track will be invited to participate in mentoring activities during their first year. Space is limited in the VA Women's Clinic experience that begins during the R2 year. In the event of more interest than there is space available, there will be a selection process that occurs during the second half of the intern year to award full membership in the track.
Please contact faculty and residents listed below for more information. Applicants who are selected for interview are encouraged to notify the residency program that they are considering the Women’s Health Track. We will make every attempt for those residents to interview with Women’s Health faculty and meet with the residents.
Director
Brittany Payne, M.D.
Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine
brittanypayne@uabmc.edu
Other Key Faculty
Meghan Black, M.D.
Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine
BVAMC Red Clinic Director
Emily Boohaker, M.D.
Professor, General Internal Medicine
Associate Chief Medical Officer, Quality and Patient Safety
Teresa Bryan, M.D.
Professor, General Internal Medicine
Former VA Deputy Associate Chief of Staff
Erin Contratto, M.D.
Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine
Erin Snyder, M.D.
Interim Division Director and Professor, General Internal Medicine
Physician Director for Ambulatory Care
Starr Steinhilber, M.D., MPH
Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine
Associate Program Director, Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program