In 1997 Indiana University was awarded support from the US Department of Health and Human Services to become a National Center of Excellence (CoE) in Women’s Health.  The Centers are located in academic medical centers where they bring together the work of their schools and departments addressing women's health. The CoE at IU subsequently received support to be one of 11 national CoE Ambassadors for Change and to aspire toward the following goals:

  1. Develop and/or  strengthen a framework to bring together a comprehensive array of services for  women  
  2. Train a cadre of  diverse health care providers that include allied health professionals and  community health worker  
  3. Promote  leadership/career development for diverse women in the health professions,  including allied health professions and community health workers, and  women/girls in the community  
  4. Enhance public  education and outreach activities in women's health with an emphasis on  gender-specific and age-appropriate prevention and/or reduction of illness or  injuries that appear controllable through increased knowledge that leads to a  modification of behavior  
  5. Participate in any  national evaluation of the CoE program  
  6. Conduct basic,  clinical and/or community-based research in women's  health  
  7. Provide advice and  guidance to other organizations interested in learning more about the CoE  program

Although federal funding for the program has ended, IU and the other CoE’s retain their designation of National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health and depend upon other sources of support to continue their work.  At IUSM, the Dean’s Office and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are supporting the CoE’s ongoing mission through this transition.  Effective August 2008 Dr. Lee A. Learman, the incoming Ob/Gyn chair, will direct the IU CoE and work with a collaborative and multidisciplinary group of women’s health leaders to enhance its impact in Indianapolis and state-wide.

This site will be under construction until Summer of 2008. Please check back later for more information and links to the new programs and initiatives of the CoE