Host: John Armstrong, MD

Guest: Maj. Gen. Carla Hawley-Bowland, MD

Maj. Gen. Dr. Carla Hawley-Bowland, commanding general at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, chief of the United States Army Medical Corps, and the first female Medical Corps General in the history of the United States Army, speaks about the leadership structure that afforded her the opportunity to assume this landmark post. Dr. Hawley-Bowland also touches on women's health issues in the military, and the impending formation of a national military hospital. Dr. John Armstrong hosts.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Thea Sakata

Guest: Lina Rodriguez

A medical school graduation photo today looks much different than those of the 1950s, with a considerable shift in gender distribution, and a diverse collection of races, nationalities and pre-medical school experiences. Ms. Thea Sakata and Ms. Lina Rodriguez, both first-year medical students at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, discuss their unique journeys to medical school with host Dr. Lauren Streicher.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Veronica Ravnikar, MD

During the 1990's multiple studies suggested hormone replacement therapy would decrease heart disease in women and prolong life. Many doctors encouraged their patients to take estrogen even if they didn't have menopausal symptoms. Dr. Veronica Ravnikar discusses optimizing cardiovascular and cognitive benefits of HRT with the early initiation of therapy.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Veronica Ravnikar, MD

There is substantial evidence that supports the importance of estrogen to cognitive function, but it seems there is relatively little emphasis on proactively preserving the ability to think clearly once menopause hits. Dr. Veronica Ravnikar, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, Mass., discusses how to treat women with estrogen therapy.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Sandra Carson, MD

Host Dr. Lauren Streicher continues her discussion with Dr. Sandra Carson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, on how to tackle the issue of treating obese women. They discuss diet plans, lifestyle modifications, counseling strategies, and medications to best treat obese patients.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Sandra Carson, MD

Dr. Sandra Carson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, offers her perspective on the causes and consequences of the obesity epidemic in women. Are there common reasons for weight gain not directly linked to the ratio of food intake versus energy output? How do eating patterns, hormone replacement therapies and other medicines impact weight control? Dr. Lauren Streicher hosts.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Frank Tu, MD, MPH

Diagnosing chronic pelvic pain can be difficult; managing pelvic pain is sometimes impossible. It's one of the most frustrating problems for the general gynecologist. Dr. Frank Tu of the Division of Gynecological Pain and Minimally Invasive Surgery of Northwestern Healthcare discusses how to treat the patient with chronic pelvic pain.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Frank Tu, MD, MPH

Surveys suggest that chronic pelvic pain is responsible for 10 percent of all gynecology referrals, 20 percent of all hysterectomies, and 40 percent of all laparoscopies. Frank Tu, MD, MPH, director of gynecological pain and minimally invasive surgery, and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology within Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Lauren Streicher to assess the key challenges involved in getting to the root of chronic pelvic pain.

Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD

Guest: Anthony Odibo, MD

Dr. Anthony Odibo, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Fetal Care Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, details the concurrent challenge and promise of perinatal ultrasound, as it applies to first trimester screening and genetic evaluation, preterm labor prediction and minimally invasive fetal therapies. Should our interpretation of the ultrasound change based on our patients' ethnicity or other criteria?

Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD

Guest: Mark Hughes, MD, PhD

In the context of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), the revolutionary prospects of the human genome are quite striking. Dr. Mark Hughes, professor of molecular medicine and genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and director of the Genesis Genetics Institute in Detroit, joins host Dr. Lisa Mazzullo to address the inescapable ethical debate surrounding this technology. Further, are there any safety concerns tied to PGD?