We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr Sherry Ross a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dr Ross, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?
I did my OBGYN residency at UCS, where my Dad did his training, so I have Trojan blood running through me…FIGHT ON! I realized that not only did I yearn to be an effective and compassionate physician; I wanted to be an educator and innovator. I love my role as teacher and listener. And those patients here with me today know I love talking to them, hearing the good along with the challenging, about their relationships with their partners, children and aging parents. I especially love hearing about the kids I delivered who are now applying to college, getting their first job OR getting out of rehab—I did say the good and the challenging, because it’s all part of the circle of life. I know how my patients count on me not only for their health and wellness, but also for education on what’s new in medicine. As much as I know they count on me, I count on them for my inspiration and education about life. I feel as though when women’s legs go up in stirrups, the conversation really begins and I can serve as their best friend or favorite therapist—now wouldn’t that make a good Netflix series?
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
When I was a young girl I would go on hospital rounds with my father who was a Urologist—I must admit that initially I went for the endless supply of donuts and apple juice in the doctor’s lounge. However, over time, I learned firsthand how much my father embraced and loved his patients and LOVED his profession. I took careful note of his compassion and the positive impact he had on his patients, as well as the powerful impact that my father’s patients had on him. I knew I wanted to be doctor in order to experience that same powerful and healing give and take. I can honestly say that the most gratifying thing about my 30-year career in medicine has been the relationships and bonds I’ve developed with my patients—
People have asked how I have the time to write books, contribute to publications, create educational video content for social media and give talks on women’s health and have a OBGYN practice. I have to say that I do it all out of a sense of purpose. I strive to be as useful, influential and forward thinking voice, not just for my patients, but for women all over the country, and the world. I want to be the one to answer the tough and sensitive questions that most women seldom get answers to—
This is what I know…Women want and need to be heard by their doctors, and this is where I find our health care system lets them down. Knowing all I know about women and the disconnect in our health care system, I was inspired to write my first book, she-ology, the Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health. Period—and she-ology, the she-quel. Let’s Continue the Conversation. She-ology books were meant to provide a 21st century option for women who, like me, were raised on Our Bodies, Ourselves. These books were a way to have honest, opened and sometimes hard conversations about women’s health that, I’m told, have opened dialogues among women about their vaginas and all related sensitive and difficult questions. She-ology addresses our most sensationalized cultural taboos about the vagina and the issues affecting today’s women’s health.
What became clear to me was we need to change the status quo of our healthcare system and make significant changes so that our daughters and sons, will benefit. We cannot be censored, ashamed or embarrassed when speaking about our bodies…and, especially our vulva’s and vaginas! My bigger mission right now is to create a more realistic and true to life medical content for women and to change the current narrative on how women talk about their bodies, health and wellness, because, as Ghandi said: “The Best Way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
My current projects have a common thread and that is to educate and service women in different areas of their health and wellness and speak to them in a way they can understand the importance of the messaging (or content).
I have created Dr Sherry sexual wellness products to help address and treat problems related to painful sexual activity and incontinence.
I am passionate about educating women on the #1 killer of women which is heart disease. Jennifer Beals and I patented The Heartlanta Bra which is designed for women to wear during a common screening test for heart disease called a stress echocardiogram test. Currently women are running very fast bra-less on a treadmill to be screened for heart disease…so you know this test was created by a man for men!
I have also patented a gynecologic tool called, the Ross Os Finder, to help women who undergo uterine procedures have an easier and less painful experience.
My love and commitment to Planned Parenthood over the past 15 years as a board member is motivated by the fact that all women and men should receive lifesaving cancer screening, well-women exams, STI testing and treatment and birth control.
I feel strongly that doctors have to lead the fight and serve as moral leaders in society and bring back communication with our patients. We need a dialogue, a community, a movement, a revolution which is why I plan on creating ongoing conversations and related articles and blog entries in order to make women feel heard and supported.
I am here to empower women to have courageous conversations about their bodies. I want to speak out and stand up for the most vulnerable and voiceless among us. I do have an agenda. It includes encouraging women to take control of their health and well-being and I am challenging women and others to change the narrative on women’s healthcare.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
Being an OBGYN has given me the privileges of forging close relationships with my patients. I am able to be more than a physician and healthcare provider to my patients and their families, I have become their family as well. I have cried with patients who have lost a spouse unexpectedly or dealt with a partners infidelity, held their hand as they had to put a child into rehab for drug abuse or lost a child due to a drug overdose, or had to see a parent forget who they were due to Alzheimer’s Disease. The list is long and each story has touched my heart more than I can ever put into words. I love what I do and I, especially, love being a part of the pregnancy journey since it is really more than a 9-month process. It’s a lifelong journey that I am humbly a part of for many women and their families.
I met my current business partner after getting to know her and her family well during her 3rd pregnancy. She is from the UK and was always fascinated and, often embarrassed, how easily I spoke of the vulva and vagina and how she could improve her issues related to this sensitive area with some easy skincare tips. While she referred to her genitals as “bits”, she would say how she wished she knew how to properly care for her “bits” at an earlier age. I shared with her my all my genital skincare tips to prevent common everyday problems related to vulva and vaginal dryness. She was intrigued and fascinated with our conversations and wanted to partner with me to continue this important and less talked about conversation. She wanted everyone to have access to me and my messaging and felt we could change an important narrative that is not being discussed.
What I felt most comfortable and excited about was that I really trusted her. Over the years, I have had many failed attempts at finding the right group of people to partner with to successfully launch a genital skincare company. I can honestly say that what matters the most is finding people you can trust and rely upon as you build a company. She was deeply passionate about committed to the messaging about caring for one’s genital skin at an early age and building a brand through education and empowering women (and men) to understand why it is important. The strengths that I have as a OBGYN are matched by her strengths as a motivated, creative and forward-thinking women to help change the narrative about this taboo topic and misunderstood habits that could be life changing.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
I am grateful that I became a physician, especially an OBGYN. At first, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician since I loved kids. I quickly realized that this was not my calling…Kids were still my calling but dealing with panicking parents everyday was not. During medical school I realized I loved the conversations and connections I had with my female patients. I enjoyed the thrill of delivering a baby and helping women struggling with common healthcare issues. OB/GYN was my calling… but not just to deliver babies, although that is truly one of the most magical experiences that never gets old…even at 3am! But it’s the relationships that I have built with my patients over time that is the true gift I receive every day.
I have also become aware of the need for conversations and educating women. I am here to empower women to have courageous conversations about their bodies. I want all of us to speak out and stand up for the most vulnerable and voiceless among us. I do have an agenda. It includes encouraging women of all ages to take control of their health and well-being and I am challenging women and others to help me change the status quo on women’s healthcare.
My bigger mission is to create more realistic and true to life medical content for women and to change the narrative on how women talk about their bodies, their vagina’s, and overall health and wellness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drsherry.com
- Instagram: @drsherryr @she_ology
- Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/DrSherryR
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsherry/
- Twitter: @DrSherryRoss
