Dr. Natasha Orr's overarching goal is to become a clinician-scientist in the field of gynecology, and to teach the next generation of medical and research trainees.
Research topic
Research Description
Chronic pelvic pain affects 15% of women and people born with a uterus. Despite the significant burden of this common condition, it is often dismissed and mismanaged by healthcare providers. Healthcare providers cite insufficient education to manage the complexity of this pain and deliver adequate treatment - identifying a knowledge need for medical education. My research will identify knowledge gaps about chronic pelvic pain among UBC medical and nurse practitioner students, which will inform the development of an engaging virtual case-based resource using CyberPatient. Engagement from key experts, including people with lived experience of chronic pelvic pain, student partners, researchers, and clinicians, will support the development of this resource, which may improve healthcare provider understanding and awareness of this condition and ultimately benefit patients.
Why did you decide to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at UBC? Did you consider other opportunities?
I decided to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at UBC to work with Dr. Fuchsia Howard and Dr. Paul Yong. Dr. Howard has extensive expertise in using qualitative mixed-methods and integrated knowledge translation methodologies to develop patient-centered health solutions. Dr. Yong is a leading expert on endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain, and whose lab is closely affiliated with the BC Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis - one of only a handful of tertiary endometriosis and pelvic pain centres in North America. Drs. Howard and Yong, along with the multidisciplinary team at the centre and the expert steering committee guiding my postdoctoral project, provide a unique and supportive environment for me to become a leader in the field of chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, and medical education. Additionally, the UBC School of Nursing has an international reputation for equity-oriented social justice research and education, an important consideration for my inclusive approaches to shift ideas about gendered bodies and pelvic pain. Also, British Columbia is a beautiful place to live and work!
What specifically attracted you to your research group?
My overarching goal is to become a clinician-scientist in the field of gynecology, and to teach the next generation of medical and research trainees. Drs. Howard and Yong are incredible mentors who support me in achieving this goal. They both demonstrate a commitment to patient engagement and are passionate about improving care for people with chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis. Additionally, they have a strong national and international collaborative network to help me disseminate my research widely and gain further training from collaborators.
What advice do you have for new postdoctoral fellows?
Find great mentors! I feel incredibly lucky to work with two fabulous supervisors who support my career aspirations and actively explore and identify opportunities which may be beneficial to my professional development.
What do you like to do for fun?
I like to camp, crochet, and walk around beautiful BC (especially when there are dogs out walking that I can pet!)
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your postdoctoral fellowship?
The aspect of my postdoc that I enjoy the most is working collaboratively with my steering committee/research team which includes patient partners, student partners, researchers, and clinicians. This group of experts bring unique perspectives to the project and their passion and commitment to improving education for health care providers about chronic pelvic pain is inspiring!
What does receiving this award mean for your career?
I am honored and grateful to have received this prestigious CIHR Fellowship. This award allows me to prioritize and focus on my research and work with community partners. Additionally, it provides support on my career goal to become an independent health researcher with expertise in chronic pelvic pain and medical education.
What do you think the next step in your career will be?
I hope to get a faculty position at a university and contribute to educating the next generation of healthcare providers about endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain!