Dear Doctor: Tanaka Dune
The passionate urogynecologist on the power of mentorship, education, and having a voice.
Dr. Tanaka Dune is a urogynecologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, caring for women of all ages who often come to her scared and confused. Her warm smile, enthusiastic tone, and intelligence make it clear that she has a gift and is using it to help people. Dr. Dune is extremely passionate about educating women (and the world) about urogynecology, a topic often buried for its sensitivity or taboo. Read on to learn more about how this doctor is working to de-stigmatize this field through the guidance of her mentors and the inspiration from her patients.
“My interest in medicine was very non-conventional. I made the decision to become a physician in my 20’s. I knew I wanted to help people, that I wanted to have a voice when I helped people, and that I wanted to have agency when I helped people. There are so many facets in healthcare, I thought about other pathways in medicine and ultimately learned that in each of those other roles one had the ability to be a team leader, but I really wanted to be the final endpoint in the decision-making when it came to who I was taking care of, which at that time, I believed meant becoming a doctor.”
Finding The Path To Urogynecology
I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, lived briefly in England, the U.S., and then Canada, which is where I grew up. My parents created a very traditional African home environment, but also tried to ensure we were hardcore Canadians (I was on the curling team in high school). When I made the decision to go to medical school, my background as a global citizen inspired me to apply to schools all over the world. When I got into medical school in the U.S., I saw all the innovation happening here so I knew I had to accept my spot at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Those were the best four years of my life.
I was so interested in the health of youth, women, and girls that by my third year, I knew I wanted to become a urogynecologic surgeon. I took ownership of that decision, knowing it was a long path, but that it was how I could achieve my goals. What I didn’t know, was that I was in for the most intense training of my life, but it was worth it!
I decided to go into obstetrics and gynecology first and then subspecialize as a urogynecologic surgeon (aka female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery). I also could have gone through urology residency to become an urogynecologist, as we do share the same fellowship program. Ultimately, I am now so very honored to be an assistant professor in both urology and OBGYN departments. Becoming a urogynecologist was the best thing I ever did in my life — I get to take care of women’s pelvic floors; many people don’t know what that even is, and every day I get to explain it. The fact that I love talking about my specialty and pelvic floors so much is a true testament that this is what I was meant to do.
De-stigmatizing Urogynecology
It’s always been natural for me to talk to people about their health and break it down in a way that’s understandable. So many women come into my exam room confused and scared, with no idea of what is happening to them or why. There is a lot of shock and shame surrounding anything that has to do with the area from the belly button down to the upper thigh. I understand that this embarrassment for women sometimes has something to do with how we are socialized. Some women think if there’s something wrong “down there” that there’s something wrong with them.
Issues like incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic floor dysfunction are all topics we need to address and treat like anything else. I often find myself making comparisons to other health concerns to help patients digest the weight of these issues. For example, if you came to a doctor with a knee injury, you’d want that doctor to lay their hand on your knee and repair it, whether that’s through therapy, medications, or surgery. So if you have a pelvic floor issue, a vululvaginal issue, or a urinary issue, you want a doctor to heal that area the same way they would with anything else.
One great treatment I suggest often is pelvic floor physical therapy. It can help pelvic floor disorders ranging from pain, to urinary incontinence to prolapse; pelvic floor therapy is like “Windex” for the pelvic floor. Many women don’t even know what the pelvic floor is, let alone how to access it, or that it’s even something that can be functionally treated. Treatment sometimes involves direct access to the pelvic floor via a pelvic floor specialists hands, which many people can’t imagine. The pelvic floor is important and should be treated with the same level of importance as anything else you’d want treated in the body.
Educating the World About Urogynecology
The one-on-one conversations I have with patients are so key. However, I feel that information has to be disseminated into a wider audience. I want to learn more so that I can serve patients better and teach more people about this topic. I know that when patients come to see me they have no idea what’s going on so I want to start to change that.
My dream would be to talk to patients on a wider platform such as through medical correspondence. I really look up to Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Jennifer Ashton, what they are doing is incredible! They are really getting so much out there and I learn so much from them too. This next step would definitely be a big dream leap.
Mentorship and Guidance
I am a woman who was taught by women to take care of women.
I was trained by the most amazing group of women that I could’ve ever encountered. One of my mentors is Linda Brubaker, who is one of the strongholds of urogynecology. She’s done so much in the world of surgery, clinical research, and medicine, it is incredible. I was also taught by Elizabeth Mueller, who is a urologist. Colleen Fitzgerald taught me how to take care of pain patients; she’s top-notch in her field. Also, Cynthia Brincat, taught me all of my favorite operative techniques. These four women were the highlight of my fellowship training, I’m so honored to have been associated with them. It’s like I’m walking with these guardians wherever I go. No matter how I’m feeling, I know I have a team there behind me, guiding me.
The power that comes with being able to make a recommendation that can help a patient comes from the great people behind you, in my case these amazing four women and all the women I’ve encountered so far in my career.
Advice For Women In Medicine
When I was in my first week of medical school, I was sitting in an auditorium with my classmates when a fourth-year student came in. I remember him so clearly telling us that this was month one of 48. I started shaking immediately, completely scared of that daunting realization. The next morning I was still shaking, but I made it through the day. That is when I realized I could do anything, even if I was afraid.
When you make choices for what you want to do in your life, take ownership, and make deliberate decisions for the right reasons. It will save you later because you can remember why you are where you are. Medicine is not one-dimensional; there’s so much one can do within the field, so everyone should think outside the box. Also important to remember is that you’re not alone in this journey. Lastly, do it scared, do it afraid. If you’re scared to do something, think about the worst thing that could happen — and it’s probably not going to happen — so go out and live your dream! It’s important not let you hold you back.
Lightning Round
One thing I wish more people knew…what a urogynecologist is.
Best advice I’ve ever received…whenever you’re hit with a situation, take a deep breath and relax. Think, then act.
Phrase that I live by…do it afraid!
New York’s best kept secret…The dog with the Taxi Cab on its nose! It’s an actual taxi balanced on the sculpture; it’s amazing.
Everybody needs some pelvic floor therapy sometimes (men and women)!
Favorites
Winter activity: Walking in Central Park.
Lunch spot: Beach Café.
App: Grubhub.
Podcast: How I Built This
You can learn more about Dr. Tanaka Dune here.
Know a great female doctor in NYC? We’d love to meet her, introduce us here!
