Why Apply to the Oncofertility Saturday Academy?
Posted by on November 9, 2009 - 6:20pm

DSC00578Recruitment for Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA) 2010 applicants officially began on Monday, November 9, 2009.  This is the fourth consecutive year of OSA and we are expecting a very competitive pool of applicants from Young Women’s Leadership Charter School.  OSA was initiated in 2007 by the Northwestern University and Young Women’s Leadership Charter School (YWLCS) of Chicago Science Partnership.  Since its inception, a total of 46 YWLCS high school girls have participated in the OSA.   Today, of the 46 students, two are college juniors, 15 are college sophomores, 14 are college freshman and 15 are 12th graders in high school.  Of the 31 who are in college, most are actively pursuing science-related majors. OSA Directors and Coordinators will be contacting and surveying all OSA Alums this year to gather information about their most current academic and careers pursuits.  Currently, OSA is also developing mechanisms and opportunities to provide long-term mentoring and support to the participants as they make the transition from high school to college and beyond.

OSA is hoping that the 31 OSA Alums will post comments on this blog to give reasons to the current YWLCS 11th and 12th grade students to apply to OSA.

  • What did you like most about OSA?
  • How did OSA help you make decisions about your academic or career path?
  • How did OSA impact your life?

OSA Alums this is an opportunity for you to give guidance to the next group of OSA participants.  Here are the names of the OSA Alums:

Chanel, Shardey, Nicole, Angelica, Ashley A. Antavia, Guadalupe, Christina, Jasmine F., Ashley M., Antavia, Natalia, Megan, Jasmine S., Yasmine, Deja, Alex, Samantha, Nikki, Mona, Grace, Chloe, Eboni, Abigail, Jathia, Kirsa, Iesha, Brittany, Shaquita, Jasmine W. and Jasmine P.

20090220_3004The Institute for Women’s Health Research created the Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (WHSP).  The Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA) is one of the four academies offered by WHSP to inspire and prepare the next generation of women leaders in science and medicine. To promote and encourage the high school girls to take action and live healthier lives, health workshops, nutritious meals and fitness classes are integrated into every academy. To learn more about all four academies, please visit whsp.northwestern.edu.

Thank you Nikki Cooper and Grace Gallegos for posting comments to the blog.  Here are a couple photos of you in action during OSA!  Other OSA Alumni, if you make a comment, I will post your photo!

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Nikki Cooper, OSA Alumni, Future General Surgeon

Grace Gallegos, OSA Alumni, Future Paramedic and Nurse

Grace Gallegos, OSA Alumni, Future Paramedic and Nurse

Megan (on far left) with her OSA sisters. Megan worked as an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this past summer in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Megan Romero (on far left) with her OSA sisters. Megan worked as an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this past summer in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Abigail Johnson isolated follicles in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Abigail Johnson isolated follicles in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Ashley McKinney is a sophomore at Hampton University. Ashley was an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this summer in Dr. Woodruff's laboratory. SCIENCE RULES!

Ashley McKinney is a sophomore at Hampton University. Ashley was an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this summer in Dr. Woodruff's laboratory. SCIENCE RULES!

Shardey is one of the most experienced OSA leaders. She is now a junior in college and majoring in forensic science.

Shardey is one of the most experienced OSA leaders. She is now a junior in college and majoring in forensic science.

Samantha Torres with the da Vinci surgical robot.

Samantha Torres with the da Vinci surgical robot.

High School Girls Pursuing Science and Health Careers Attend a Professional Meeting: 2009 Illinois Women’s Health Conference
Posted by on October 29, 2009 - 2:35pm
Aryana, Kathryn, Jenaun, Estella and Geeleeyaw at the 2009 Illinois Women’s Health Conference.

Aryana, Kathryn, Jenaun, Estella and Geeleeyaw at the 2009 Illinois Women’s Health Conference.

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, five high school senior girls, who are participants of the Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (WHSP), whsp.northwestern.edu, attended the 2009 Illinois Women’s Health Conference, http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/events.htm, in Oak Brook, Illinois.  To be selected, the high school girls had to write essays to explain why they wanted to attend the conference.  All the girls shared very thoughtful and meaningful reasons for wanting to participate in this opportunity.  To highlight a few of the student responses, Jenaun shared that she wanted to attend because she is still undecided on her college major and career choice and thought that participating in the conference would broaden her knowledge of the healthcare career options. Geeleeyaw thought that this would be a good opportunity for her to meet new people and talk to clinicians about her interests in pursuing a career in the healthcare field.   Lastly, Aryana wanted to attend because she is passionate about women’s health and wants to play an active role in supporting and improving the health of women.

The high school girls gained valuable and useful experiences and knowledge at the conference.  Upon arrival the high school girls checked in and received their conference nametag, bag, and materials.  The high school girls attended multiple sessions, including:

  • Cardiovascular Disease in Disparate Populations: The Facts – and What We Should Do
  • Breast Cancer – Reconstruction After the Fact
  • Energy for Life: Strategies for Peak Performance and Whole Body Wellness
  • Nutrition and Women’s Health – Health Foods or Healthy Foods
  • The Practical Clinical Approach to Women’s Sexuality

Students were expected and encouraged to take notes and ask the presenters questions at each of the sessions.

At the end of the day, the girls completed the conference evaluation form and submitted it to the conference staff.  They all expressed that they greatly appreciated this opportunity because, as the only high school students in attendance, they were able to get firsthand experience interacting with real healthcare professionals.  With the two educators who coordinated the opportunity, Megan Faurot, Director of Education Programs at the Institute for Women’s Health Research, and Kathleen Grimes, Science Department Coordinator at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, the girls discussed what colleges they were applying to and how they plan on pursuing their career goals.   Kathryn wants to pursue a career in animal science and Estella is planning on combining her love of cooking and science to become a dietitian or nutritionist.   WHSP will continue to support and encourage all of these girls as they make the transition from high school to college and beyond to become the next generation of women leaders in science and medicine.

Dr. Ruth Kirschstein dies at age 82
Posted by on October 14, 2009 - 9:52am
Image: NIH

Image: NIH

As those interested in the field of women's health, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people who have come before us and championed the cause. One of the giants in this regard is Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, who passed away last week at the age of 82. Her scientific work helped to further the safety and efficacy of certain vaccines, including those for measles, rubella, and polio, but some of her greatest accomplishments took place outside the lab. Dr. Kirschstein became the first woman to ever head a National Institute of Health when she took over the National Institute of General Medical Sciences in 1974; she also served as acting director of the NIH on several occasions. Those who knew her, knew that her success only made her more passionate about helping other women and minorities go further in the sciencies. One of her many legacies is the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) that provides funding opportunities for women and minorities in the sciences. The Scientist has published a more complete story about all of Dr. Kirschstein's awards and accomplishments here, I recommend it as a way to learn about one of our greatest contemporary women scientists.

Introducing Alison and Candace
Posted by on July 9, 2009 - 2:04pm

Since we’ll be pretty regular fixtures around here for a while, we’d like to introduce ourselves, as well. We’re both fourth year graduate students, which means (if all goes according to plan) we’ll be “Dr. So and So” some time in the next year or so. We’re currently both involved in that arduous scientific research that Dr. Bristol-Gould outlined in her bio. Alison is working on a project that looks at how certain metals are important in female reproduction, while Candace is studying how oocytes develop and die in pre-pubertal females. Pretty awesome, we know. We also like karaoke, pop music in any language (we’re currently expanding our stock of Hindi and Korean selections!), and Ryan Reynolds, just to show we’re not JUST science nerds! We will typically post every Friday about the newest stories involving women’s health, but we’re open to ideas, so drop us a comment!

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