Concentration Directors
Daria Szkwarko, DO, MPH
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Email: Szkwarkd@gmail.com
Phone: 401-729-2238
Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, 111 Brewster St, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Email: RHAllen@wihri.org
Phone: 401-274-1122, x42724
Women and Infants Hospital of RI, 101 Dudley Street, Providence RI 02905
Overview
Reproductive rights and freedom are key determinants of women's health and are highly influenced by women's roles in society. In the U.S. and abroad, reproductive health is threatened by limited access to effective contraception, timely diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, safe abortion, skilled maternity care, and infertility treatments.
The purpose of the Reproductive Health scholarly concentration is to prepare graduates to promote and advance women's reproductive health through patient care, education, research, and advocacy. Research has documented the need for comprehensive reproductive health education in U.S. medical schools. Few schools adequately address issues surrounding abortion, contraception, adolescent pregnancy and parenting, or causes and consequences of infertility. Effective reproductive health care also requires skilled history taking, patient education and counseling. Understanding of non-biological determinants of health and illness, including economic, psychological, social, and cultural factors, is critical to ensuring quality reproductive health care for women. Physicians and other health professionals have a key role as advocates in protecting women's reproductive health, especially for underserved and/or vulnerable populations (including adolescents, incarcerated women, immigrants and refugees, women with disabilities, minorities, and LGBTQ women).