Opportunities Expand at Sharewood
Beginning in March, Sharewood, the student-run healthcare project in Malden, will begin offering women's health services. This step means increased access to new services for women in the Boston area as well as new learning experiences for students involved in The Sharewood Project.
Since opening the doors seven years ago, Sharewood's dedicated student and physician volunteers have worked toward the dual goals of increasing access to health services in the Boston community while also enriching the education of its volunteers. The new addition of women's healthcare promises to build upon this project's vision.
The demand for women's healthcare services has steadily increased at Sharewood, with more and more patients requesting services such as gynecological exams. The new services will encompass more extensive workups for sexually transmitted diseases, such as HPV, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, which are all included in a routine pap smear. Although Sharewood currently has an STD division, this new service will build upon tests that are already available and offer tailored physical exams for specific women's health issues.
The interest expressed by student volunteers has also driven the decision to offer these services. This new service will give students a hands-on opportunity to learn diagnostic techniques for women's health issues. With a generous OB/GYN, Dr. Patricia Falcao, volunteering her time every Tuesday evening, students can be assured of a meaningful experience.