Gloria Bachmann discusses role at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School advocating for women's health, LGBTQ rights

As the director of the Women’s Health Institute at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), Gloria Bachmann has done work to advocate for the rights of women and members of the LGBTQ community in the medical world.

Bachmann first became interested in healthcare when her grandmother became sick. 

“I was originally a chemistry major, but when my grandmother developed medical problems, I discovered that I really wanted to help people,” she said. “I wanted a more face-to-face interaction.”

Today, she oversees childbirth and the women's after-care. 

“The birth of a child is the most significant event in anyone’s life,” she said. “It represents the continuation of a culture and empowerment of women.” 

Bachmann said childbirth is not always a smooth procedure. The rate of maternal mortality in the United States is one of the worst in the world, despite the technological advancements this country has made. Part of the problem may be the fact that healthcare professionals make assumptions about a pregnant woman’s health.

Every complaint that a woman makes during childbirth is serious and doctors need to stop, look and listen to her, Bachmann said. Every woman should have a full healthcare team taking care of her when she is giving birth.

Bachmann said that another issue women face in healthcare is distance, especially in geographically-isolated areas.

“You need to train people in those communities to be able to screen so women and their families don’t have to travel many miles to get to a healthcare facility,” she said. 

Bachmann said Rutgers and RWJMS are trying to solve this problem with a global health program where doctors reach out to underserved communities in rural America. 

Another solution to this challenge might be telemedicine, which is a method in which patients receive care from their doctors through telecommunications technology. Bachmann said in a situation where someone in need of medical help does not have a cell phone, surrounding people can get them in contact with a doctor at the hospital. It is a community effort that can get people the help they need remotely. 

“It can help someone with a very sick child or parent who can’t get up and leave, or someone with Alzheimer’s, for example,” she said. 

Bachmann is also an advocate for women’s and LGBTQ rights in the medical world. 

Everyone has to be respected for who they are, Bachmann said, and this belief is what inspired her to become involved with LGBTQ health.

“We like to categorize people on many different aspects rather than looking at them as a person,” she said. 

For instance, when people fill out medical forms, they have to identify things like their gender and race, but Bachmann said that is changing. 

She said the reason doctors did that in the past was because they thought they could provide better care with this information. If a person checked off female, they would look at gynecological issues, and prostate issues if a person checked off male. There are also higher incidences of certain diseases in different ethnicities. 

“Now we’re beginning to see that those are not barriers that have to be determined by categorizing people. It really would be better if doctors looked at you as a whole person,” Bachmann said. 

She stated that being outcasted by a large part of society can have a negative influence on someone and that women and the members of the LGBTQ community face issues with mental health. RWJMS is combating this by advocating and providing educational programs and support groups. 

Overall, despite the challenges that still prevail in the medical world, Bachmann said she loves her job as director because of the education and teaching she does. 

“Talking to the next generation and being able to instill a curiosity, passion and love is what I find to be an amazing opportunity for me,” she said.