Gender Medicine is the field of medicine that studies the biological and physiological differences between the human sexes and how that affects differences in disease. Did you know that Rabin Medical Center is at the forefront of this innovative new approach to medicine?

Professor Marek Glezerman, director of the Helen Schneider Hospital for Women at Rabin Medical Center (RMC) and deputy director of RMC, was recently invited by Professor Marian Legato, president of the Foundation for Gender Medicine in New York and a world renowned pioneer in gender medicine to receive the prestigious Athena Award. The Athena Global Leadership Award is presented annually to individuals who have achieved a high degree of professional excellence and whose body of work has made a national or international impact. By honoring exceptional leaders, the ATHENA Award Program seeks to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and personal lives.

Prof. Glezerman received this year's award for his work in developing and promoting the new science of gender medicine. For two years Prof. Glezerman worked vigorously to promote and advance gender medicine both in Israel and globally. Within a short period, he founded the Israeli Medical Society for Gender Medicine. The foundation congress was attended by some 350 doctors and researchers from all fields of medicine. He also organized the first symposium in Gender Medicine and Cardiology in 2009 at Rabin Medical Center.

Furthermore, he initiated the first program for gender medical studies at Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine and thanks to his diligent efforts and enthusiasm this year's 5th International Conference in Gender Medicine will be held in Tel Aviv. This important symposium will bring eminent scholars from many medical disciplines who will present papers on the present state of gender medicine in their respective disciplines.

Prof. Glezerman sees the role of gender medicine as significantly important in helping us to better understand all fields of medicine and toward improving better and more advanced patient care.