title: Development of a curriculum and training program in Woman Veterans Health for Internal Medical Residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Internal Medicine residents must develop competency as Primary Care Providers, but a gap exists in their curriculum and training with regard to women's reproductive health. With increasing need in VA due to new influx of women veterans it poses problems in recruitment of competent physicians trained in Women's health.
  
  
  METHODS
  An intensive, one-month women's reproductive health curriculum with hands on experience for Internal Medicine residents was provided. Curriculum was taught to the residents who rotated at the Women's Health Clinic for one month. Pre-test and post-test exams were administered. Increase in knowledge of residents in providing gender specific evaluations and management was objectively assessed by changes in post-test scores. Data were analyzed for statistically significant improvement in written tests scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total of 47 Internal Medicine residents rotated through Women's Health Center during the evaluation period. All residents completed both pre-test and post-test exams. The average time to complete the pre-test was 20.5 ± 5.4 min and 19.5 ± 4.8 min for post-test. There was no correlation between the time to complete the pre-test exam and the post-test exam. The total score was significantly improved from 8.5 ± 1.6 to 13.2 ± 1.8 (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows how to equip physicians in training with information on women's health that enables them to provide safe and gender appropriate care in primary care settings. This practice will reduce the need for frequent referrals for specialized care and thus provide cost saving for patient and health care on the whole.
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceylony
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Jahan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porhomayon
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Leili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pourafkari
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Nader D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Nader
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D016730:Program Development; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000193:education*; D058014:Veterans Health; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Education; Internship and Residency; Medical education; Primary health care; Women