Dr. Jenna Gale, a fertility specialist, is deeply passionate about women’s health research. That’s why this year, for the second time, she’s participating in the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend (TORW) to raise money for research at The Ottawa Hospital.
As the resident research co-lead for the department of obstetrics and gynecology at The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Gale has supported residents for the past five years, helping them find a research project and conduct impactful studies that can be disseminated internationally.
The challenge for these residents and women’s health projects is that they are underfunded and unrepresented. So, these funds help residents pursue their research ideas, that might not otherwise happen.
“We have a really exceptional research program, and we’re looking to support it even more, which is the purpose of us doing race weekend together, as a department.”
— Dr. Jenna Gale
“The quality of the research these residents are putting out is absolutely astounding,” she says. “We have a really exceptional research program, and we’re looking to support it even more, which is the purpose of us doing race weekend together, as a department.”
Dr. Gale herself is heavily involved in research, too. She has a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology and formally dedicates about 20% of her time to research, in addition to many evenings and weekends.
Dr. Sony Singh, the chair of the hospital’s department of obstetrics and gynecology, has been Dr. Gale’s mentor since she was a resident, and she says he was one of the key people who inspired her to pursue research as part of her career.
“That passion for research stems from seeing how impactful it could be on the patient experience in patient care and their outcomes,” she says.
Dr. Gale first participated in the race weekend two years ago and walked 5k with a number of her colleagues. Their team raised around $11,000 that year, and they’re determined to raise far more this time around.
While Dr. Gale was once a casual runner, multiple knee surgeries have impacted her ability to jog. Still, she’s more than happy to show up and walk.
“That didn’t stop me from wanting to be involved in this event, and I think it’s pretty wonderful because it shows other people who might not have been involved otherwise that they can come and join,” she says. “You don’t have to be a runner to come and have a fantastic time and be a really core part of the event.”
Whether walking or running, Dr. Gale says exercise is a fundamental part of life and an activity that contributes to overall wellbeing, both physically and mentally.
“To be able to do physical activity and combine that with a topic like resident research, which I’m really passionate about, makes it even more valuable,” she says.
The Uteracers, as the team is known, is made up of staff from her clinic who want to support resident research within the department as well as residents, obstetricians, gynecologists, nurses, and midwives from the hospital.
“We make it more than just a running or walking event – we also have a little get together at one of our houses to amp up the excitement,” she says. “I am mostly looking forward to the camaraderie and spending some time outside with friends and colleagues for a really great cause.”
