Research & Education
Studying, Learning, and Sharing as We Go
Do women present with different stroke symptoms than men? Which diagnostic tools should we use to screen for blood clots in women? Which medications should be dosed differently for pregnant women? How might breast tissue affect the delivery of CPR?
As physicians and scientists in the emergency department, our division is driven by daily questions like these—questions that reveal how much modern medicine still does not know about women’s bodies. We work address these gaps through multidisciplinary scholarship, innovative education, and clinical research. With each topic we pursue, we continue to ask what has been missed by decades of excluding women from research. We believe that improving emergency care for women requires staying curious, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the evidence we rely on truly applies to all of our patients.
We educate across many settings: on shift in the emergency department with students, residents, and colleagues; through our monthly journal club, which brings together experts in emergency medicine, OB-GYN, cardiology, toxicology, simulation, and medical education; through ongoing continuing medical education for attendings, PAs, and nurses; and through national speaking engagements and our annual spring conference. Through the WHEM Fellowship, we are also building a women’s health–focused curriculum that we aim to make a standard part of emergency medicine training.
Ongoing Research Projects
Manual Uterine Aspiration / Manual Vacuum Aspiration in the Emergency Department
Evaluating impact of the new MUA/MVA protocol developed in collaboration with our OBGYN department to enable same-day procedural management of early pregnancy loss in the ED
Medication Assisted Abortion (MAB) in the Emergency Department
investigating the use of medication assisted management of early pregnancy loss within our health system
Clinician Perspectives on Management of Early Pregnancy Loss in the ED
Qualitative research into ED providers' perspectives and comfort utilizing different treatment options for early pregnancy loss
Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations in the ED
Retrospective chart review of SAFE/SANE cases seen in the ED to evaluate quality of care and identify patterns in patient experience
Patient-Centered Outcomes for Migraine Management in the ED
Women experience migraines about 3x more than men. This research project is aimed at understanding how we are currently treating migraines in the ED and ways we can improve patient experience
Gender Equality in Cardiac Resuscitation
Previous research has shown that women and men are not getting equivalent treatment for cardiac arrest, despite having the same gold-standards. This project aims to evaluate if this is true in our patient population and dig deeper into possible causes for disparity
Diagnosing Early Pregnancy and Follow Up in the ED
This project is aimed at understanding potential barriers to safe discharge for patients diagnosed with pregnancy of unknown location in the ED, and the impact of improved communication, coordination and patient education strategies at improving follow up
Presentations & Conferences
Ongoing Clinical Education
SAFE/SANE Care Education
Led by experienced instructor and Director of SANE education, Amy Smith, our division has been involved with SAFE/SANE education training for clinical providers at multiple levels including for EM residents, attendings, PAs and nurses.
WHEM Journal Club
The WHEM journal club meets monthly to review selected articles, and engage with difficult topics. This discussion group also serves as a medium for collaboration and idea sharing across hospitals and specialties, including OBGYN, Complex Family Planning, Toxicology, Medical Education, Medical Simulation. Have an idea you'd like to discuss? Let us know! All are welcome.
Emergency Medicine Fellowship
Newly founded in 2025, the Women's Health in Emergency Medicine fellowship provides advanced clinical training and research guidance in gender-specific emergency care, and health equity to develop physician-scholars who will lead evidence-based innovation at the intersection of emergency medicine and women's health.
Inaugural Fellow
Alexandra Over, DO