WHO you see is what you get!
In October, the Menopause Society met for their annual conference and many topics of discussion were addressed. One that may intrigue women, especially women who are concerned they are going through perimenopause or menopause, was the thought that what type of provider you see dictates whether you will be prescribed hormone therapy or not. As if it isn’t already hard enough to be prescribed hormones (only 3.8% of women, ages 45-59 have used hormone therapy), if you are only seeing certain specialties of practice, it may limit you even more from being prescribed these potentially life-changing medications.
If you are not already aware, menopausal health education in the setting of medical school, PA school, and NP school is minimal at best. Researchers also believe there isn’t a real standardized curriculum that provides guidelines for new providers entering the field and there certainly was minimum attention given to teaching this topic to those providers already out in the workforce.
So where are you most likely to find a provider who will be willing to consider treatment? Of all provider specialties, a GYN is your best bet. Although even within that group, midwives and NPs were more likely to prescribe than physicians. SSRIs seemed to be the medications of choice for physician associates in that field. This makes sense when you work in this field and hear every day about how women are dismissed or told they don’t need to take anything for their perimenopause/menopause symptoms. While most women see a primary care provider almost every year, they may not be well-trained or even feel comfortable prescribing menopausal treatments. Clearly, something needs to change!
Studies show that LESS THAN 10% of residents in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and OB/GYN programs feel prepared to manage menopause after graduation. That means a whopping 90% of those going into the field of medicine are underprepared. This is an educational lapse and needs to be amended. So what is a woman to do? First, you need to be prepared that your primary care, ob-gyn, or other specialist is NOT well-trained in this area. It is always good to ask and certainly a great conversation to have if you have good report with that provider. You may also seek out those of us who HAVE gone beyond our original training and are educating ourselves with evidence-based studies and teachings that we didn’t receive prior to our degree. If a provider has MSCP after their name that means they are a Menopause Society Certified Provider. They have studied and opted to take additional testing that gives them this designation. They are most-likely more up-to-date on the current practices of menopausal care and how it impacts their female patients. They are worth seeking out if you are really struggling with symptoms.
While perimenopause and menopause treatment plans gain traction and are showing a generation of women that they do not have to suffer the significant side effects that this decade of life may throw at them, the call to provide a more comprehensive educational component in all provider training programs is evident. As the movement and the knowledge that the general population has toward symptoms continues to reach more women, we owe it to our current and future providers to educate them on the advancements that could make a world of difference in their patients lives!**
**Statistics from The Menopause Society’s Presentation at its annual conference held October 21-25, 2025, titled, “Likelihood of Being Prescribed Hormone Therapy May Depend on the Type of Provider Seen”
