SUMMARY POINTS
Skills
- Continue building knowledge base in all aspects of reproductive healthcare — including clinical care, new literature and evidence, patient advocacy, telehealth and self-managed medication abortion options.
- Obtain clinical experience during or after professional training. Given that a majority of abortions are medication abortions, becoming a medication abortion provider can be helpful in expanding access.
- Utilize additional training and mentorship opportunities (e.g., reproductive rights and justice) to center the desires and autonomy of historically marginalized communities (e.g., BIPOC, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, etc.) in practice.
Safety
- Build relationships and consult with other reproductive health clinicians.
- Know when to refer for medical conditions that preclude self-managed, telehealth, or outpatient care.
- Make arrangements for hospital backup as needed.
- Consider personal security precautions as an abortion provider, including digital and online security especially in light of criminalization of care post-Dobbs and with changes in the political landscape. See Personal Security section below.
Role
- Understand and apply the tenets of reproductive justice to patient care.
- Become a leader, advocate, and mentor in the reproductive rights and justice movements. (see Organizational Resources Table below)
- Consider the power of storytelling (your own or patients’, with their consent) in advocacy efforts.
- Use established local and national networks to build a collaborative community, find answers to medical and administrative questions, and learn best practices.
- Step into your role as a clinician of evidence-based, trauma-responsive and person-centered options counseling, contraceptive care, and reproductive health services. (See Organizational Resources Table below and Ch 8: EPL Counseling)
- Overcome commonly reported barriers, including lack of authority to implement services, liability coverage, and staff resistance, by building relationships with key stakeholders and involving staff early in the process. (See Ch 10: Practice Integration)
- Be patient and persistent as the process of integrating care may take time.
- Move beyond the silos of healthcare spaces to build coalitions, collaborate across disciplines, and organize alongside communities.