Starting soon, female students will be able to go to the Falcon Health Center for their yearly check-ups.

The Falcon Health Center is looking to add three gynecologists to its list of physicians this spring.

Gynecologists will be the first, but not last, group of specialists to make their way to the Falcon Health Center.

“I believe that … with the collaborative efforts between [the University] and Wood County Hospital, and planning going forward, we wanted to do connectivity through the specialists,” said Deb Busdeker, director of operations of the Falcon Health Center. “I believe that gynecology was the first one that rose to the top with a need.”

Busdeker believes the University has not had a gynecologist before because the University’s health center was “alone.”

“[The health center] only had so many resources,” she said.

To prepare for the three gynecologists that are coming in the spring, the Falcon Health Center has already brought in trained practitioners.

“We have added two new women’s health practitioners … so that’s a step, too, that’s a little bit different [from previous years],” Busdeker said.

Freshman Brittany Sigler said that depending on the insurance that the health center takes, she would go to the gynecologist.

“It makes it real convenient to have a gynecologist so close,” she said.

There are some specialists already in place because of immediate student needs.

“We already have an orthopedic relationship, especially with athletics,” Busdeker said.

Busdeker also said the Falcon Health Center is looking into other student needs, like skin care.

“When you think about the age group, and what some of the needs are, I could see maybe dermatology,” she said.

Freshman Elizabeth Painter thinks having the specialists so close to campus is good.

“You end up saving money because you don’t have to buy gas and go home for those appointments,” Painter said.

The reason the health center never had a dermatologist before was probably due to financial reasons, Busdeker said.

“For a dermatologist to establish an office in a small community they have to be sure they have enough population … to fill a schedule,” she said.

It would be hard for a dermatologist to work at just the University. With the help from Wood County Hospital, though, a dermatologist might be able to work in Bowling Green, Busdeker said.

“By teaming up together we can probably support something a little easier,” she said.

All of the specialists that will be added to the Falcon Health Center will be for the students.

“We’re going to try to do as much as we can for the student population so we’re going to continue to ask the students, and we want input from the students,” Busdeker said.

Students can fill out comment cards when they visit the Falcon Health Center or they can go to one of the health advisory board panels during the semester to give input on what specialists they believe the University should offer. The next panel will be in October.