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Program Details Annoucement:
 Program Announcement

History and Purpose

In 1994, the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) started VA's Advanced Fellowships Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans. There was a growing awareness of the complex health needs of women veterans and the importance of training physicians for academic careers in this specialized field. After a competitive review, OAA selected host fellowship sites based on the medical facility's ability to provide the needed population of women veterans, the strength of its academic program, its ability to provide expert research mentoring, and its commitment to leadership in women veterans health issues.

Program Overview

The Health Issues of Women Veterans Fellowship Program provides two years of post residency, post-doctoral research, education, and clinical learning opportunities to eligible physicians and associated health professionals. Fellows spend approximately 75 percent of their time in research and education and 25 percent in clinical care at selected VA sites. Mentors of national stature provide guidance to fellows in rich learning environments. Graduates are expected to be role models in leading, developing, conducting, and evaluating innovative research, education, and clinical care in health issues pertaining to women veterans.

Fellowship Requirements

Eligible physicians must have graduated from an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residency; be board certified or board eligible in internal medicine (or one of its subspecialties), family practice, gynecology, psychiatry, or surgery; and have an active, unrestricted U.S. medical license. They must desire to lead women veterans' healthcare in the 21st century. International medical graduates must also have a current visa to participate in the program and an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate that is valid indefinitely. Applicants with a J-1 visa must have current ECFMG sponsorship to participate in the program. Eligible associated health professionals must be a US citizen, demonstrate interest in pursuing a VA career with women’s health as a significant focus, be qualified in a health profession relevant to the health of women Veterans (nurses psychologists, and others), not be simultaneously enrolled an accredited clinical training program, demonstrate interest in pursuing VA career with women’s health as a significant focus and meet the education and licensure requirements listed in the program announcement.

Application

To inquire about the fellowship application process and to learn more about the program, interested candidates should write to the site of their choice and send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to that site.

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VA Fellowship in Womens's Health Fellowship Address List:

Boston, MA
Director: Megan Gerber, MD, MPH  Co-Director: Karen Freund, MD, MPH (non VA staff)  Administrative Officer: Veronica Forde
Medical Director Women's Health VA Boston Healthcare System 150 S. Huntington Avenue Jamaica Plain, MA 02130	Telephone 857-364-5932 Fax 857-364-6686 WebSite WebSite

Research Focus: PTSD and health outcomes, cancer prevention and gender disparities

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Madison, WI
Director: Molly Carnes, M.D.
Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans (11G) Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital 2500 Overlook Terrace Madison, WI 53705	Telephone 608- 256-1901

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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Milwaukee, WI
Director:  Julie L. Mitchell, MD, MS
Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center 5000 W. National Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53295	Telephone 414-805-0949 Fax 414-805-0855 Website

Research focus: Women’s Health Fellows at the Milwaukee VA choose their individual learning plans based on their career goals.  Tracks for MDs include research, education or clinical quality and program development.  Tracks for PhDs include nursing and psychology.  See website for details.

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Pittsburgh, PA
Director: Melissa McNeil, M.D., M.P.H.
Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans (11A) Division of General Internal Medicine 9 West Montefiore Hospital 200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213	Telephone 412-692-4821 Fax 412-692-4825

Research Focus: Candidates can select to concentrate either in medical education or clinical research. Fellows will receive either a master’s degree in medical education or a master’s degree in clinical science. A broad range of educational and research opportunities are available.

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San Diego, CA
Co-Directors Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans Carolyn Allard, Phd  Robin Moyer, MD, MBA
VASDHS, Mission Valley CBOC 118z 8810 Rio San Diego Dr San Diego CA 92108	Telephone: 619-400-5189 Fax: 619-400-5171

Research Focus: Military Sexual Trauma, Interpersonal Trauma, Trauma-Related Guilt, Suicidality, Emotion Dysregulation/Distress Intolerance, Treatment Outcome Predictors  and Women’s health education and the patient aligned care team (patient centered medical home) and their impact on team functioning and efficiency.

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San Francisco, CA
Co-Directors Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans Karla Kerlikoske, MS, MD  Deborah Grady, M.D., M.P.H. Program Support Assistant: Carla Li
VA Medical Center General Internal Medicine (111A1) 4150 Clement Street San Francisco, CA 94121	Telephone 415-221-4810 X2093 Fax 415-379-5573

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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Sepulveda, CA
Director: Lisa Altman, M.D.
Co Directors: Donna Washington, MD, MPH Elizabeth Yano, MD, PhD, MSPH
Fellowship Program in Health Issues of Women Veterans (00P-W) VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System The Southern California System of Clinics 16111 Plummer Street  Sepulveda, CA 91343	Telephone 818-891-7711 x5446

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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West Haven, CT
Acting Director: Sally G. Haskell, MD, MS  Comprehensive Women’s Health, Women Veteran’s Health Strategic Healthcare Group, VA Central Office Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine Co-Director:Cynthia Brandt, MD,MPH Professor, Yale University School of Medicine
VA Connecticut Healthcare System 950 Campbell Avenue West Haven, CT  06516	Telephone: 203-932-5711 x 5546 Fax: 203-937-4935

Research Focus:Gender Disparities in Cost, Utilization and  Medical and Mental Health Outcomes after Combat Exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan (The Women Veteran’s Cohort Study).  Medical Informatics.  Chronic Pain in Women Veterans. Gender Disparities in Cardiovascular Risk and Outcomes.
Implementation of Comprehensive Women’s Health in the Veteran’s Health Administration