Why 93% of OB-GYNs Aren't Trained in Perimenopause — and What to Do If You've Been Dismissed

About this episode

The episode discusses the lack of OB-GYN training in perimenopause and features Dana Culp sharing her experiences as both a physician and a patient.

You're not imagining it. You're not "just stressed." And you're not alone in feeling like your doctor doesn't have answers. Surveys show that 93% of OB-GYNs don't feel comfortable treating perimenopause — and only 1 in 5 medical schools even include training on this stage of a woman's life. So when you leave an appointment feeling dismissed, that's not a you problem. It's a system problem. Dana Culp is a physician and founder of Thrive Midlife Medical who learned this firsthand — not just as a specialist, but as a patient. Despite her medical background, she spent over a year unable to get proper care for her own perimenopause symptoms, dismissed by provider after provider. That experience completely redirected her career. In this conversation we get into: The one flawed study from 2001 that dropped hormone therapy use from 40% to 4% — and why that fear is still shaping care today Why perimenopause can hit hard while you're still getting your period, and why high-achieving women often feel it most What estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone each do — and how a good provider figures out where to start The lifestyle shifts (sleep, protein, movement) that can genuinely…

People in this episode

Host: Nicole Johnson

Guest: Dana Culp

Topics covered

• perimenopause
• OB-GYN training
• hormone therapy
• women's health
• patient care
• medical education

Keywords

• perimenopause
• OB-GYN
• hormone therapy
• women's health
• medical training
• patient experience
• healthcare system

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Thrive Midlife Medical, medical schools

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