Member Spotlight: Alyson & Esther from Women’s Health in Emergency Care

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Alyson McGregor and Esther Choo developed a new division within the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University called Women’s Health in Emergency Care (WHEC). 

Alyson is the next Member Spotlight of 2013- a few times a month, we’ll chat with one of our members and give you a behind-the-scenes look at their business. 

How did you get the idea for your business?

Sex and gender matter when it comes to health and disease. Until recently, everything about American health care from research protocols to public health policies reflected an intellectual assumption that men and women are so alike that it’s not important to study women directly. Men have been used as the model for research to limit the uncertainty of fluctuating hormones. This is referred to as a “one size fits all” medicine. This resulted in the notion that “women’s health“was limited to issues surrounding reproduction and breast health as though her heart, brain, and every other part of her body were identical to those of a man. This view has been termed “Bikini Medicine.” Science is now showing us that gender is much more than an add on.

We developed a new division within the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University called Women’s Health in Emergency Care (WHEC). The division aims to advance and promote gender-specific research pertaining to acute health conditions; to increase advocacy and awareness for gender-based health topics; and to create educational resources and opportunities so that gender medicine may be systematically included in medical training. We came up with this concept because the Emergency Department (ED) has become a primary point of contact for health care in the United States with encounters that reflect acute presentation of a spectrum of diseases. It is the perfect setting to embrace the concept that differences between women and men will ultimately improve the precision and quality of healthcare for everyone.

What has been the most challenging part of your business? What’s the best part?

Most physicians are not used to incorporating sex and gender considerations into their thought processes when they learn and practice medicine. So we have been challenged to raise awareness, understanding, and acceptance of what we do. The best part is knowing that we are exploring uncharted territory and thus have an amazing opportunity to contribute to the practice of emergency medicine.

How did you get the idea for the name of your business?

Our aim is to focus on women’s health from the emergency department perspective. Although gender specific medicine is not just about women’s health, there is some catching up that needs to be done on the unique health care needs of women in all aspects of medical care, not just reproductive areas. We are creating a campaign “We Know the Difference” when it comes to Sex, Gender and Health. “Your Emergency is as Unique as You are!”

Tell us about your background- where you grew up, past jobs, where you went to school, hobbies, etc.

Alyson: I am a native of RI. Born in Coventry and graduated LaSalle Academy High School in Providence. After making the New England Rounds: University of New Hampshire for Undergraduate and Boston University for Medical School, I headed right back to Providence to complete my Emergency Medicine Residency at Brown Medical School. Needless to say, I have stayed ever since. My academic interests are in women’s health and gender-specific medicine. I fill my free time with organic farming, cooking and yoga.

Esther: I grew up just outside of Cleveland, OH and came east for college and medical school at Yale. From there, I completed residency at Boston Medical Center and a health services research fellowship at Oregon Health & Sciences University. I came to Providence to join the Emergency Medicine faculty at Brown in 2009. My research involves prevention of violence and substance use. When not working, I pretty much just hang out with my husband and our three young kids.

What do you love about being a PVD Lady Project Member?

We love being a part of something that is meant to connect, inspire and showcase awesome women doing amazing things! How could we not love that!

 

Member Spotlight: Ewe Have Me In Stitches

Member Spotlight: Tara Coogan from Ewe Have Me in Stitches

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Tara from Ewe Have Me in Stitches creates gorgeous quilts, accessories and more- all handmade! 

Tara is the first Member Spotlight of 2013- a few times a month, we’ll chat with one of our members and give you a behind-the-scenes look at their business. 

How did you get the idea for your business?

As a kid I was glued to my grandmother’s sewing machine and spent summers sewing pillows. (Seriously, my family got them for Christmas gifts every year!). A few years ago my mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas. I was really excited because I missed sewing and crafting, but working full-time and being in graduate school kept me pretty busy, so the sewing machine gathered dust for a few months. My first quilt was a weekend project for a friend who had a new baby, and then I made one for my sister’s birthday, and next thing I know, I made 10 more by Christmas (every member of my family got a quilt customized especially for them). My friends and family encouraged/insisted that I start an online store. I was a little terrified that no one would be interested in my quilts, they are my babies and I would be crushed if the store flopped, but it really took off and now I have a steady flow of custom orders! 

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Member Spotlight- Melinda & Zane from They’re Using Tools

We chatted with Melinda and Zane of They’re Using Tools for our latest Member Spotlight. Melinda founded They’re Using Tools in 2006 and they’ve been rocking ever since. Zane is They’re Using Tools’ Special Projects Manager.image

Tell us about They’re Using Tools and the idea behind it.

Melinda:  They’re Using Tools! was founded by myself in 2006 as a way to unite all the creative folks and disciplines that were available to me. Resourceful creativity is the base of our unique style. They’re Using Tools’ work specializes in what we like to call “web media”: photography, web design, commercial animation and experimental video. Basically, the cool stuff you find on the internet.

What’s a typical day like for you running your business?

Melinda: Though the projects we make our exciting and interesting, my typical day is sitting in front of the computer planning shooting schedules, writing scripts, and coordinating with clients. In video/animation/web design production, there’s a lot of planning, so that the creative parts can flow smoothly and quickly. The rest of the time, I’m on set coordinating actors/props/food for shoots. I was one of those kids that loved alphabetizing things and planning fun stuff to do with my friends, and that hasn’t really changed as I get older.

What inspires you? What inspires you in Providence?

Melinda: Scientific stuff and cheesy horror/scifi movies are really inspiring to me. I love finding about some new kind of dinosaur or what sleep schedules were like before the industrial revolution. (People used to wake up at midnight and hang out, it’s awesome). I love a horror/scifi movie or book where the core idea was really well thought out. RI is the home of H.P. Lovecraft, who’s considered very influential to modern horror and scifi—King, Bradbury, Barker, Del Toro, Mignola, Gaiman, Carpenter, Giger, etc. He created the “it’s so terrifying, I can’t describe it” genre. It all goes back to RI being a place for original ideas. He inspired what scares us today, back in the 1920’s. He’s also considered one of the most prolific letter writers ever, around 30,000 and second to Voltaire. And he barely left Providence! Science and the whole “what if” area of thinking is very intriguing to me. When I can’t think of something, I’ll go to old short stories and try to dig out the core of an idea.

Zane: Providence is such a close knit city I am always fortunate when I go out somewhere to have really wonderful conversations with people in all areas. I am also really inspired by music, when I’m listening to the right song sometimes I tap back into memories I haven’t thought of or people who pushed me to do things creatively.

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