Welcome to the first in a series of profiles spotlighting members of the Mature Women’s Health Fellowship program at the Weston and O’Born Centre for Mature Women’s Health, home to Canada’s first fellowship in mature women’s health and menopause.
Through donor support, an advanced training program is offered to select individuals who have demonstrated deep knowledge and potential in their areas of expertise. Fellows provide direct patient care under the supervision of senior clinicians. They also present and publish on their scholarly activity, leading to more experts trained in the field of mature women’s health and an increase in the overall capacity and research impact of the Centre.
Dr. Juliana Gomes Poli is one of the Centre’s international fellows, having completed her residency and Master's degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Brazil. She came to Canada to pursue further training at Sinai Health to provide evidence-based, compassionate care for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
Q: Why were you interested in doing a fellowship in mature women's health and menopause at Sinai Health?
Dr. Poli: As a trained obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN), I take care of women. That was always my main area of interest in health care. After a while, I noticed that women in midlife, specifically menopausal women, were not seen as a priority in the health-care system. It was almost as if they were systemically invisible. As I started to see increasing numbers of patients — and women in my own life — begin to deal with menopause and perimenopause, I realized I lacked medical training and information on this subject while doing my residency in Brazil and wanted to correct it. That really drove me to strive to be better prepared and informed as a clinician for that cohort.
When I came to Mount Sinai Hospital for further obstetrical training, which itself was world-class, I heard how strong the Mature Women’s Health Fellowship program was. Joining the program turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. The training has been outstanding, and I’ve learned so much about menopause care.
What’s especially impressive is how many fellows come from around the world. As someone from Brazil, I can already see how the knowledge I’m gaining will help me improve care for menopausal and perimenopausal women back home. Many fellows will take what they learn here back to their own countries, helping expand access to better menopause care around the world.
Q: For those who might not be aware, can you tell us what a fellowship is, and why a physician chooses to do one?
Dr. Poli: What I tell my friends and family is that a fellowship is like doing training in a subspecialty. As a resident, you work in a general area of health care, in my case as an OB-GYN, and train on a little bit of everything. A fellowship gives you more detailed, specified training, as one delves more deeply into the specialty. That’s what I’m doing now with menopause and perimenopause. I get to see and learn to treat more complex cases, with mentorship and supervision from leading physicians in the field. That also involves participating in surgeries like hysteroscopies – a procedure where we look at the inside of the uterus in order to diagnose and treat the causes of abnormal bleeding. It’s all invaluable education as I continue with my residency.
We’re also encouraged to do research as a fellow. Under the supervision of experts at the Centre such as Dr. Wendy Wolfman and Dr. Marie Christakis, I’m currently developing my research focus, which may explore the interaction between diabetes and menopause. These mentors have been incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge with me.
Q: What are some of the most important things you’ve learned about improving care for women with perimenopause and menopause?
Dr. Poli: The first step in breaking down barriers for menopausal and perimenopausal women – systemically and broadly – is simply talking about menopause more. Through this program, and through Sinai Health’s commitment to women’s health, I’m seeing how raising awareness is key to improving access to care. Women here in Canada, and in Brazil, are starting to talk more openly about menopause. That’s step one.
From there, especially for women with more complex medical histories — such as cancer survivors — you also need physicians who are skilled in managing menopausal symptoms. Fellows like me are gaining this specialized training, and that will help broaden access to high-quality care for these patients wherever we go to practice from here. That’s been a very meaningful realization for me.
Q: We have a community of donors who support the Centre. Why are they so important to the fellowship program?
Dr. Poli: The opportunity to participate in this fellowship has meant a great deal to me, both personally and professionally, and I know the other fellows feel the same way. What makes it especially meaningful is knowing that the vision behind this fellowship – to expand access to expert care for women across all stages of life – is shared by the generous donors who support it.
I feel so privileged to be part of something like this, and I know it wouldn’t be possible without their support. This is work I will carry with me throughout my career and bring to the patients and communities I serve. I’m deeply grateful to our donors for making that possible.
Q: What message do you want to share with women experiencing symptoms of menopause and perimenopause?
Dr. Poli: When it comes to the experience of women going through menopause or perimenopause, we should all be talking about it. It’s not some taboo subject anymore. As women get older, we should be building a more open and supportive culture, so no one feels embarrassed to talk about what they’re experiencing. Women should all be able to say, without hesitation, “Yes, I have symptoms, and I need help navigating them.” The more we encourage these conversations, the better care we can provide. Knowing that this fellowship program is preparing us to support women, treat their symptoms and help them feel better – that’s very rewarding.
Investing in the future of mature women’s health care
For Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, a long-time supporter of Sinai Health and a champion of mature women’s health, donating to support fellowship programs is an investment in the future of care for women everywhere.
“I believe fellowships are a powerful way to shape the future of health care,” says Maxine. “They give emerging clinicians additional time and training to develop the expertise needed to ask better questions, challenge long‑standing assumptions and ultimately transform care. In mature women’s health — an area that has historically been overlooked — this kind of focused training is especially critical.
My hope is that the fellows we train at the Centre become leaders who not only advance clinical excellence and research, but who also advocate for women to be seen, heard and cared for at every stage of life. Their impact will extend far beyond their own practices, shaping how health systems understand and respond to the needs of women for generations to come.”
To date, the Mature Women’s Health Fellowship program at the Weston and O’Born Centre for Mature Women’s Health has trained more than 30 fellows from six countries around the world. They are joining a growing network of mature women’s health experts trained at Sinai Health and will go on to share the knowledge they gain here with institutions locally, nationally and around the world.
Through this first-of-its-kind, donor-funded fellowship program, Sinai Health is uniquely positioned to advance care across all areas affecting mature women.
As we continue to inspire fellows like Dr. Poli and grow the program, we can affect change on a global level. But we need your help.
Your gift will support and nurture experts in menopausal care, who will return as leaders in their field.
Help us transform the future of mature women’s health. Donate today.
Stay up to date with the centre and sign up for our newsletter
