National Women Physicians Day on February 3, recognizes the path women doctors have paved in the U.S. over the years. The date commemorates Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S. in 1849. Today we reflect on the achievements of women in medicine, and also show our support for the next generation. We asked three Dignity Health Medical Group physicians to share what celebrating this day means to them. Here’s what they had to say.

January marks the start of a new year, a time often synonymous with prioritizing health and wellness. For women, this means scheduling an annual visit and routine screening at the gynecologist to support reproductive health.

January is also Cervical Health Awareness Month. Every year, more than 12,000 Americans are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Cervical cancer was once considered the leading cause of death among women in the United States, but today is considered highly preventable and treatable due to vaccination and early detection from routine testing.

It may surprise you to know that there is a system in your body so complex that it contains almost 500 million neurons, linked to your brain. Would you ever guess that it is your gastrointestinal (GI) system, otherwise known as your gut? To help shed some light on the importance of gut health for the whole body, we talked to Jagrati Mathur, MD, a gastroenterologist with Dignity Health Medical Group — Saint Francis/St. Mary’s.