Potential Name Change for Section on Women’s Heatlh

During this year´s Combined Section Meeting in Indianapolis, I had the opportunity to attend the Section on Women´s Health business meeting. There was a standing room only crowd of clinicians and students eager to participate and hear the Section´s annual review and plans for the year to come. The agenda included board elections, research updates, WCS acknowledgements, award presentations, as well as a touching remembrance for Elizabeth Noble.

Elizabeth founded the Section on Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1977, which would later be renamed the Section on Women’s Health at the 1994 CSM. While I never had the chance to meet the founder of our organization, I learned a lot about her efforts and passion during her wonderful tribute, which culminated in a standing ovation. Those of us in attendance stood in unison, celebrating the woman who allowed us to gather in that very room.

This year´s business meeting provided an opportunity to learn about the beginnings of our organization and its continual transformation. As healthcare continues to evolve, we must adapt to new practice models.

A Task Force was created by the SOWH to investigate and discuss a potential name change of our organization. This is a process other APTA sections have recently undergone in order to better define themselves. We need to hear from our members, so I urge you to follow this link: http://www.womenshealthapta.org/csm-survey/ and vote if you are for or against further exploring a name change, while maintaining the focus and commitment to our traditional areas of women´s health practice. Whatever your opinion, let your voice be heard. Elizabeth Noble awakened in many a passion for women´s health and it is our turn to further her work and take action.

Tamra Wroblesky is the current Director of the Student Special Interest Group. She is a third year student at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA and has strong interests in pelvic health and female athletes.