The Graduate Certificate in Medicine and Gender offers students the opportunity to do graduate‐level study that focuses on topics of gender‐specific medicine. Recently, there has been an increased awareness that gender-specific issues influence women’s and men’s health more broadly and with a higher impact than previously recognized. These differences are not limited to reproductive health, but extend to almost every other organ and tissue.
Students will learn about common medical issues discussed in a gender context. Since females have been traditionally excluded from clinical trials, most of the available medical knowledge applies to men accurately but not to women. Over the past two decades, inclusion of women in clinical trials and the mandated testing of drugs on females has significantly increased the available knowledge of women’s health. Data are also accumulating that show significant differences in male and female biology, physiology and drug pharmacology in almost every body organ and tissue.
Prospective students: This Certificate is intended for all students interested in women’s health or gender‐specific health issues. It is also intended for medical residents, health science professionals, and students who are not yet committed to pursuing a graduate degree. It is anticipated that some students will apply for master’s or Ph.D. degrees offered by USF’s Health Science Center.