Gerald J. Harkins, MD, MPT, FACOG

Richard S. Legro, MD

Our journal is pleased to present Dr. Gerald Harkins, an internationally recognized minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon as our Guest Editor of this timely issue on female pelvic pain. As our nation comes to grips with the extent and the origins of this epidemic, one thing is clear that many of the initial prescriptions from opioids came from well-meaning care providers who were trying to alleviate pain. The contributions of gynecologists and reproductive medicine specialists to this prescribing practice are now just being recognized, but female pelvic pain, in all of its manifestations, is likely a substantial contributor to opioid use and, in some patients, opioid addiction, in the United States.

Dr. Harkins has assembled a renowned group of international authors who face the challenge of pelvic pain on a daily basis in their clinical practice and address its roots and best treatment strategies in their ongoing research in the field. This issue will cover all aspects of pelvic pain.

We are proud to announce a new practice supported by our publisher, Thieme. We will select two articles from each issue to release immediately by offering free access, so all patients and care providers will be able to immediately access this information. Our guest editor Dr. Harkins has selected the articles on Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome[1] and Pelvic Pain in Adolescents.[2] These articles highlight the need to be aware of all sources of pelvic pain and to identify the earliest affected patients who gateway into a life, potentially crippled by chronic pelvic pain.

Dr. Harkins has had a distinguished and varied career in the health care profession. Prior to obtaining his medical degree at the Penn State College of Medicine, Dr. Harkins obtained a master's degree in physical therapy at Baylor and worked several years as a physical therapist, including a stint as an athletic trainer with the (now world champion) Philadelphia Eagles. He did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA, and served in the military for many years after. Along the way, Dr. Harkins served a tour of duty in Iraq as Director of Gynecologic Service at 31st Combat Support Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, for which he received several service medals.

Dr. Harkins joined faculty at Penn State after his distinguished military career, rose to professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the founding and current chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. He has recruited diverse and talented faculty into the division and established a highly sought-after fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery with three fellows at present. He has overseen the development of a research focus in the division with multiple prospective randomized trials completed and in progress.

He has been recognized by our students, residents, and fellows at Penn State as a top teacher and has led multiple invited presentations and surgical courses at our national societies such as the AAGL and SGS. He has been a consummate clinician who has consistently achieved patient satisfaction scores in the 99th percentile with our accompanying top award recognition. Thus, our journal is blessed to have such an accomplished clinician, educator, and scholar lead this issue.

Financial Disclosure

Dr. Legro has no disclosures.

• References

• 1 Marcu I, Campian CE, Tu FF. Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Semin Reprod Med 2018; 36 (02) 123-135
• 2 Smorgick N, As-Sanie S. Pelvic pain in adolescents. Semin Reprod Med 2018; 36 (02) 116-122