March 1, 2023
In the fall 2022, The University of Alabama Student Health Center and Pharmacy opened a new Women’s Health wing to provide additional services for female students and to offer care from female providers.
The new wing features a private waiting room, six exam rooms and a procedure room, and offers services for pelvic and breast health, contraception care, menstrual care and other female health care needs.
Peggy Fogg, a certified nurse practitioner for more than 20 years, is one of the providers of women’s health services for the Student Health Center, which is operated by UA’s College of Community Health Sciences. She describes her time in women’s health as taking care of women, educating them and empowering them to make decisions about their health.
“With this new space, we are able to accommodate more patients,” Fogg said. She said the addition of another women’s health-care provider has also led to shorter wait times for appointments for students.
Stephanie Pannell, also a women’s health nurse practitioner, joined the Student Health Center in September 2022 and, like Fogg, works to meet the needs of the University’s female students. Pannell has spent nearly nine years in nursing.
Both Fogg and Pannell describe the environment of the new Women’s Health wing at the Student Health Center as welcoming and comfortable.
“When the students come in, I hear them say how beautiful it is,” Pannell said. “I also think what is so great is that we have the same goal and that is to get the students in without very much wait time, listen to what they have to say, validate their concerns and meet their needs with a plan of care and a solution if possible. It has been amazing to see the teamwork. I’m always learning, but more specifically in this role, I’m learning the needs of the students at this stage in their life.”
“The students love it here and they love the privacy,” Fogg added. “We want them to be seen and have a positive experience.”
