with @DocHollyPedsGyn: What Even is a Pediatric Gynecologist?

What's it like to be a gynecologist for patients who've never had a gynecology visit before?

Dr. Fran sits down with Dr. Holly Hoefgen, a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist and fellowship-trained physician, to talk about a specialty that even OBGYNs often know little about. Dr. Hafgen shares how she landed in a field that lets her combine her love of pediatrics with gynecology, and explains what her day-to-day practice actually looks like — from managing ovarian cysts and menstrual concerns in teens to caring for patients with congenital differences like MRKH, gender-diverse patients, and childhood cancer survivors navigating fertility preservation.

The conversation digs into why a patient's first gynecologic visit sets the tone for their relationship with their body and the medical system for years to come, and how prioritizing education and autonomy can undo a lifetime of fear and misinformation.

Dr. Hafgen and Dr. Fran also get into the messy world of medical misinformation on social media — from viral videos about painful IUD insertions to persistent myths about the HPV vaccine — and how they've each used their own platforms to counter it, often by handing patients the very videos they make for TikTok and Instagram as real clinical resources.

Along the way, they discuss the field's long-overdue reckoning with gynecologic pain management, why cervical cancer remains an underappreciated threat, and what it means to build trust with patients who are stepping into a gynecologist's office for the very first time.

Dr. Holly's social media: @DocHollyPedsGyn

Dr. Fran's social media: @PagingDrFran