Doctor, podcaster, advocate: Meet the DO redefining women’s health care

This month, we spoke with Sadaf Lodhi, DO, an accomplished osteopathic OB-GYN who is passionate about education, empowerment and whole-person care. Driven by a lifelong dream to become a physician, Dr. Lodhi leads Femme Vie Health, a concierge medical practice in New York, and she hosts “The Muslim Sex Podcast.” Through her work, she continues to inspire others to follow their passions while advocating for holistic wellness.

Following is an edited Q&A.

You have wanted to be a physician since the age of 5. You followed your childhood dream and graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM). How did you discover osteopathic medicine?

My parents were always very supportive. When I was growing up, if anyone asked what I wanted to be, my parents would promptly respond that I wanted to become a physician. I don’t know if it was a little bit of pushing from them or my own intuition, but I knew being a physician was my goal. Even for Halloween, I would dress up as a doctor and carry around test tubes with red food coloring to simulate blood samples. My passion was helping people.

A transformative moment came when I visited family in Pakistan in 1987. My cousin was a pediatrician, and we visited them at the hospital ward. The conditions were heart-wrenching. I saw people and children in need sitting on floors waiting for care. This experience solidified my decision to become a physician. As for discovering osteopathic medicine, Michigan is a very DO-friendly state. A family friend, who was a DO, introduced me to the principles. She let me shadow her and explained how DOs see the body as a whole unit: body, mind and spirit. That really resonated with me.

When it came time to apply to medical schools, I applied primarily in Michigan and was fortunate to get into MSUCOM. The program was fantastic. We did classes with allopathic students, but we also learned additional osteopathic principles and techniques.

You completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology. What advice would you give to osteopathic medical students interested in this specialty?

OB-GYN residencies are no joke. You must truly love medicine and surgery and be passionate about women’s health. My advice is to stay on the course, even if you don’t match the first time. If this is where your heart is, your hard work will show.

Make sure you find yourself in a residency with a good culture and supportive faculty. But be prepared for a challenging residency and specialty. The hours are long and demanding. I had a co-resident who completed four years of OB-GYN training and then switched to family medicine because she didn’t enjoy it.

My key advice is that if you truly love OB-GYN and women’s health, persist. If you’re on the fence or unsure, not matching might be a sign to explore other specialties. This field requires complete dedication; it’s surgery, it’s intense, it’s not for everyone. But if it’s your passion, keep pursuing it.

You recently started a gynecology, sexual health and menopausal medicine concierge practice in New York named Femme Vie Health. What are some of the benefits of concierge medicine?

I started my practice in July of last year, focusing on menopause, perimenopause, sexual health and outpatient gynecology. The concierge model beautifully aligns with osteopathic principles in several key ways.

In osteopathic medicine, we view the body as a holistic unit of body, mind and spirit. Concierge medicine allows for more in-depth patient interactions, enabling a deeper understanding of a patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual health. This approach honors the osteopathic philosophy of treating the whole person, not just symptoms. The model emphasizes prevention and lifestyle interventions, recognizing the body’s innate ability to heal.

Unlike traditional corporate medicine’s 15-minute appointments, I offer 90-minute initial consultations for new patients. This gives me time to truly understand their needs, create individualized care plans and address their physical, psychological and environmental concerns. In corporate medicine, out of the 15-minute appointment, the physician will typically have five to 10 minutes per patient. That’s simply not enough time to provide comprehensive care.

Concierge medicine allows physicians to make their own schedules, spend quality time with patients and provide more personalized, holistic care. For osteopathic physicians, this model is particularly powerful. Ultimately, concierge medicine represents a return to patient-centered care, emphasizing individual needs, comprehensive health and meaningful medical relationships.

You host the “The Muslim Sex Podcast,” which has over 170 episodes and a global audience. What topics and concerns do you typically explore on the show, and how do you tailor it for your intended audience?

“The Muslim Sex Podcast” is for anyone and everyone who wants to listen and learn. The podcast focuses on menopause, perimenopause and sexual health. I also have some episodes on coaching. In September 2024, I was honored to receive the Alumni of the Year award from the University of Michigan-Dearborn for my work on the podcast. That recognition meant so much because it affirmed the importance of breaking down stigma and empowering people through education.

I’ve had psychiatrists and other guests on the podcast to talk about relationships and anxiety, and how those things show up in people’s lives or partnerships. The podcast really dives into cultural taboos around sexual health, relationships and menopause, and again, it’s not just for Muslim women, but for everyone.

A friend of mine actually suggested the name, and I was initially hesitant. I worried about what people would think or say. But she really encouraged me. She said, “It’s bold, it’s attention-grabbing and it makes a statement.” I had to work through a lot of my own internalized cultural conditioning, as I was raised pretty conservatively. It took me a while to embrace the name and the mission behind it, but over time, I started to own it, and now, I’m incredibly proud of it.

The podcast has nearly 100,000 downloads and has a global audience. Interestingly, the country with the most downloads is India! People around the world are tuning in, and for many of them, the title resonates and it feels like a safe space to learn and explore. So many people are raised with shame and stigma around sex, and this podcast helps dismantle that. You can honor your cultural identity and still claim your sexual wellness.

What I really aim to do is blend medical expertise, coaching tools and cultural understanding to help women reclaim their bodies and well-being without shame. That’s the heart of the podcast. And I’m currently writing a book that builds on these ideas, which I’m hoping to release by the end of August or early September.

You’ve served as a board examiner for the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOBOG) for many years. How important is it for DOs to stay engaged with their osteopathic board, and in what ways can we best support their work?

After I became board-certified with AOBOG, I decided to become a board examiner. I wanted to represent minorities and women of color, so that others coming up in the field could see someone like themselves in those positions of leadership and influence.

When I applied for residency at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (now known as Trinity Health Oakland Hospital) in Pontiac, Michigan, I specifically chose that program because of the program director at the time, Valerie Payne-Jackson, DO. She is an African American woman who was strong, confident and an outstanding leader. Seeing her, I saw what I could be. She was incredibly inspiring.

It’s so important to stay involved, not just to give back, but also to stay current, continue learning and build a sense of community with fellow examiners and colleagues. I’ve been a board examiner since 2008. I also write questions for the AOBOG’s written board exam. Just this past year, I contributed two questions that we reviewed and refined together as a team.

In addition to that, I’m involved with the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOOG). I’ve served on the continuing medical education (CME) committee and was co-chair of the spring annual conference last year. I also led the fall conference, helping to organize the CME content and educational sessions.

In November 2023, I did a TEDx Talk in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It’s on my YouTube channel, and it’s called “Sex Education for Doctors: Lessons from a Muslim Gynecologist.”

Education is my passion and it’s the reason I do my podcast. I believe in empowering and educating women. By being involved in CME and academic programming, I have the chance to do just that.

Last year, for the first time that I can recall, we included sessions on menopause and sexual health at both the spring and fall conferences. I even gave some of the lectures on sexual health myself. These are crucial topics for us as gynecologists, as we need to be knowledgeable and comfortable discussing them with our patients. For me, it all comes down to education and advocacy. That’s what keeps me connected to my colleagues and drives me to keep doing this work.

What advice would you give readers who aspire to make a meaningful impact on the profession and on the lives of their patients?

First, I’d really like to thank The DO for letting me share my story with the osteopathic medical community. The best advice I can offer is simple: Do what you love. It might sound cliché, but it’s transformative. In my own journey, I realized that not every aspect of my specialty excited me, and I want medical students to know that this is OK. The key is continuous personal and professional growth. I never want to become stagnant or reach 100 years old wondering, “What if?”

Instead, I’ve consistently redefined myself, finding my true passion in specific areas like menopause, perimenopause and sexual health. These are topics often overlooked in medical school and residency training. For the past year, I have been giving lectures on sexual health and menopause through the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Medicine. I also created an “Islam and Sexuality” module for a sexual health elective for the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Being involved in education and advocacy is where I have found my greatest joy. When you find what you love, then everything else just follows and the impact will come. Do not be shy about sharing what you feel passionate about. I found what I love, and I am making sure I keep doing it.

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