The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that it is partnering with the University of South Florida’s Center for Advanced Medical Simulation and Training to offer a Women’s Health Mini Residency Program, Aug. 13-14 in Tampa, Florida. The program gives VA’s women’s health providers experience in conducting breast and pelvic exams with the help of trained Gynecological Teaching Associates.
Since 2001, the number of women Veterans seeking VA care has grown 200 percent from 160,000 to over 500,000. The Women’s Health Mini Residency program, implemented in 2010, has trained more than 6,000 clinicians. The program reinforces the expertise of VA’s primary care teams and women’s health providers to address the full range of women Veterans’ medical needs.
A recent Women's health study suggests women Veterans who get their primary care from a designated women’s health provider — a designation VA providers can obtain after completing this training — are more satisfied with their primary care provider and have a better overall experience with VA care.
“More women Veterans are choosing VA for their healthcare than ever before,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, in the statement. “This mini residency program provides a unique learning opportunity for our clinical teams while addressing the extraordinary growth in VA services to women Veterans.”
More than 300 physicians, nurse practitioners and other health professionals plan to attend the August training.
