Championing Women’s Healthcare at Duke University School of Nursing
As the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner MSN celebrates its tenth year, Duke University School of Nursing continues to increase its focus on women’s health across its many programs.
According to 2024 data from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), there are around 385,000 license nurse practitioners in the United States, but only around 2% of them focus primarily on women's health. With women and girls accounting for roughly half of the U.S. population, nursing education that is tailored towards women’s health plays a crucial role in improving health outcomes for women across their lifespan.
Founded in 2015, the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) MSN at Duke University School of Nursing has not only begun to increase the workforce in this specialty, but has also helped shape nursing education across the School’s programs to include more curriculum related to women’s health.
At Duke University School of Nursing, enthusiastic champions of women’s health can be found throughout and beyond the WHNP specialty. What unites these champions is a sustained attention to the many aspects that fall under the umbrella of “women’s health,” along with a steadfast commitment to achieve health equity for women, an overarching social good.
The Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program Celebrates 10 Years
The Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner major is one of eight clinical advanced practice nurse majors offered at the School of Nursing through its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. The MSN program is ranked #3 in the country, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings.
The WHNP major is spearheaded by Founding Director and Associate Professor Kathy Trotter, who shared some of the changes that she has seen across the WHNP major’s ten years.
“We started out with 11 to 15 students every year, and then in the last five years we've had about 18 to 22,” said Dr. Trotter. “What has also changed is the depth and breadth of the skills and education we've been able to offer, especially when students come for their on-campus intensives—things like perinatal ultrasound training and three types of IUD training. When they graduate, they feel ready and they get hired."
According to Dr. Trotter, the WHNP major prepares students for a number of particularized fields, such as urogynecology, sexual health, infertility, maternal fetal medicine, and perinatology. And the demand for these NPs is high, especially in areas that are considered OB/GYN or maternal deserts.
By December of 2026, the major should have close to 200 graduates. As that number increases, the demographics have also become more diverse, with around 24% of the Class of 2025 identifying as African American.
Jocelin Maxwell, a current WHNP student, says that she chose the School of Nursing because of its commitment to diversity, health equity, and excellence in nursing education.
“I have always been passionate about advocating for women's health, particularly for minority women who face higher risks of maternal mortality, reproductive health disparities, and inadequate healthcare access,” Maxwell added. “I want to be part of the solution to provide compassionate, evidence-based care that empowers women to take control of their health.”
Dr. Trotter said that she is proud of the quality of the education within the WHNP, the diversity of the major’s student body, and the fact that many graduates have passed their boards and attained their first NP jobs, including in the Duke Health system. In addition, many are strong advocates and spokespeople for women’s healthcare access.
For example, WHNP student Shannon Allison participated in the Duke Women’s Center’s 2025 Reproductive Justice Conference, speaking on a panel called “Lived Experiences of the Ban.”
“It is an honor to be invited to speak at the Reproductive Justice Conference and to be involved in the vital conversations and work toward expanding access to comprehensive gender-related healthcare for our most vulnerable populations,” said Allison.
Dr. Trotter expanded on what reproductive justice means for patients everywhere.
“Access to reproductive healthcare in particular is a big issue right now, and it doesn't just mean abortion care,” said Dr. Trotter. “It means access to family planning, the availability of childcare or the ability to get off work for an appointment, and access to fairly quick timing, especially with urgent conditions like abnormal uterine bleeding.”
Dr. Trotter, who still sees patients, said that recent government actions have resulted in higher amounts of stress among patients, who have expressed concerns that new political developments will adversely affect women, children, and families—especially the most vulnerable among them.
“It’s a hard time, but I've been pleased with the number of people who still want to do the work,” said Dr. Trotter. “They have to be very dedicated and really have to support each other.”
Supporting Women’s Health through Primary Care
Among the School of Nursing’s champions of women’s health is Alison Edie, Associate Professor and Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner major.
Throughout her career, Dr. Edie has provided care to adolescent young women in a pediatric community health center, general OB/GYN care in a private practice, and family planning in a county health department women’s clinic. She said that, in her experience, the most vulnerable women are adolescents, those who are under-insured, and immigrants.
“The care of women has grown in importance as a shortage of OB/GYNs is predicted over the next 10 years,” said Dr. Edie. “FNPs are well trained and qualified to provide care to women throughout their reproductive years, and it is my responsibility to prepare students to be competent and compassionate providers of care to women."
While she directs the FNP major, Dr. Edie also teaches a Women and Gender Health course for the WHNP students. She incorporates the history of women’s healthcare in the United States from the 19th to the 21st centuries, along with current events, to highlight women’s stories and experiences.
Dr. Edie’s pedagogical approach of consciousness-raising, which emphasizes reflection, dialogue, and engagement to understand social structures, has been outlined in an article published in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners.
“Teaching the course over the past six years has been challenging, as we have seen the loss of abortion care and access with the Dobbs case. This threat will continue to limit access to contraception choices as well,” said Dr. Edie.
When asked how the field of “women’s healthcare” can be inclusive of people of all gender identities, Dr. Edie emphasized the importance of being open to all, especially those who may otherwise avoid health services because of concerns of bias.
“People with the capacity to become pregnant, or who have entered into the post-reproductive time of life, must be cared for regardless of their gender identity,” she added.
Women’s Healthcare Begins with Pediatrics
Professor Anne Derouin is likewise a champion of the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner major, both as the Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and as the Director of the Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health Specialty. She emphasized the importance of gender-specific or gender-informed care, which ideally begins as early as girlhood or adolescence.
“Developmentally, we know that girls’ bodies mature and enter puberty sooner than boys’ bodies, overall,” said Dr. Derouin. “And many families don’t talk about the changes that come with puberty—they expect schools to do that work.”
“For our students, we have tried to incorporate developmental milestones and developmentally appropriate language surrounding puberty and the changes to physical, emotional, and mental health that happens through these stages, which are a bit different between female and male patients, broadly speaking,” added Dr. Derouin.
Dr. Derouin said that medically-relevant sex differences continue throughout the lifespan. For example, there are differences in health outcomes for heart disease, orthopedic disease, and neurocognitive disease between the sexes, and women often present different symptoms than men. Moreover, women are at a higher risk for breast and uterine cancers, and there are significant cardiovascular implications related to pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause.
“Having the WHNP program has really allowed an increased focus on women’s health to filter through to our other programs, including the FNP, the adult-gerontology program, the pediatric program, and certainly the prelicensure program, where we are adding more information about lactation, breast health, maternity care, and post-menopausal care,” said Dr. Derouin. “It created a sea change in what the rest of us were thinking about.”
Dr. Derouin also spoke about the community at the School of Nursing, which includes breast and uterine cancer survivors, survivors of and advocates against gender-based violence, and people who have lost pregnancies. “These are things that make up many women’s life experiences,” Dr. Derouin said.
Speaking to the present political moment, Dr. Derouin said that there has been a surge of enrollment in the WHNP major, which she sees as evidence of resilience and determination.
“There’s a sense of, ‘We are going to be available to help the women in our community. I'm going to stand my ground and be a warrior in this—poised and professional and advocating for what I know is right,’” she said.
Student and Alumni Praise for the WHNP
“I am currently working in a community health center where we see a lot of patients seeking preventative care (cervical cancer screening, breast screening, etc.), birth control options, and other health services. DUSON prepared us with hands-on IUD insertion training, and we were certified in Nexplanon insertion and removal prior to graduation. I’m proud of the work that we do as WHNPs, and I’m thrilled to have chosen this as a career path! I’m also very proud to say that DUSON played an integral part in helping me achieve my goals.” - Anne Hickey, WHNP alumna
“My decision to specialize in women’s health was deeply influenced by my own experiences navigating the healthcare system as a woman. Living and working in the rural region of Western North Carolina, I see firsthand the critical need for more providers who understand the unique challenges women face. Duke’s WHNP program not only provided me with the opportunity to specialize in this field but also reinforced my commitment to addressing gaps in gender-related healthcare. Their dedication to improving outreach and access in rural communities aligns with my passion for advocacy and ensuring all women receive the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve.” - Shannon Allison, WHNP student
“Women’s healthcare is crucial because women’s health is public health. When women receive proper care, families, communities, and future generations benefit and thrive. We cannot take this for granted. No matter where I end up, I know this program will have given me a strong foundation in patient advocacy, women’s health, and evidence-based practice.” - Jocelin Maxwell, WHNP student