Pictured above: Roger Goldberg, MD; Lisa Hembry, APN-CRNA; Carrie Seyb, APN-CRNA; and Claudia Paya Ten, MD

In the United States, a revolution is happening in women’s health with an increased focus on pelvic health, perimenopause and menopause. Claudia Paya Ten, MD, a fellow in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at the Endeavor Health Center for Pelvic Health, is pushing for this movement to expand globally in a culturally humble way.

Since she was 11 years old, Dr. Paya Ten has been attending mission trips to South America. She recently completed a trip to Cusco, Peru, her 15th mission trip.

Bridging the gap in global women's pelvic health

During that trip in May 2026, she and her colleagues completed more than 40 surgical urogynecological procedures for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in four days on women who traveled for hours to visit the clinic. Past trips focused on internal medicine needs.

“In indigenous Andean communities, there are deep cultural frameworks around women's health that we must understand and respect,” Dr. Paya Ten said.

“The goal is not to export a Western model but to expand access to information and care in ways that are meaningful to each community. Partnering with local providers, training community health workers, and working through trusted organizations like Peruvian Hearts Foundation are the pathways forward. The movement only matters if it reaches the women who have historically been left out of it.”

Womens health mission trip 2-team

Volunteers and staff perform critical work in Cusco, Peru, for people in town and surrounding villages.

The power of mentorship in surgical training

Dr. Paya Ten joined Endeavor Health in 2023 to start her FPMRS fellowship. She was drawn to the position because of the reputations of Ghazaleh Rosatami, MD, Sonia Dutta, MD, and Adam Gafni-Kane, MD, known for their exceptional clinical and academic environment plus research, as well as Roger Goldberg, MD, whose work in pelvic floor surgery and international collaboration in global health is nationally recognized.

“Endeavor Health offered me the kind of training that would allow me to build a meaningful surgical career, both locally and globally,” she added.

Some can argue that Dr. Paya Ten’s medical journey started when she was 11 years old when her physician parents, Rosa Ten and Carlos Payá, brought her on a mission trip for the first time. As a preteen, the experience of watching women finally get access to healthcare deeply influenced her decision to enter a career in medicine. It also taught her the lifelong value of mentorship.

On the latest trip, Dr. Paya Ten was joined by Dr. Goldberg. It was a full-circle moment for her to mentor him in Cusco when he is her daily advisor in Chicago. In addition to colleagues, she mentors students who are part of every trip. Dr. Paya Ten believes these experiences help prepare undergraduate students for medical school and medical students for patient care.

“I genuinely believe that once someone comes once, they want to come back and shift their view on how to provide equitable care in the field of medicine,” she said. “I think back to that 11-year-old girl and hope, that somewhere in the crowd, I can inspire another young person to change their life's trajectory to serve women's health like I did,” she said.

Womens health mission trip 3-Ten and Goldberg

Claudia Paya Ten, MD, (left) had a role reversal moment as she mentored Roger Goldberg, MD, on a mission trip to Cusco, Peru. Dr. Goldberg is a faculty member of the program where Dr. Paya Ten is a fellow.

Practicing cultural humility and adaptable surgical care

Each trip has made Dr. Paya Ten more adaptable and humble as a surgeon. She explained, “In Cusco, we operate with fewer resources, in a different language, on patients who have often waited years, sometimes decades, for care. That forces you to be precise, efficient and creative.”

This perspective remains with her in Chicago and reframes patient encounters. Whether in Chicago or Cusco, women are placing a high level of trust in Dr. Paya Ten, and she recognizes this and finds it meaningful every day.

“The trust that women place in us, often traveling hours from remote Andean communities, reminds me never to take access to specialty care for granted,” Dr. Paya Ten said.

Understanding that pelvic floor dysfunction is treatable

In July 2026, Dr. Paya Ten will join the Gender Affirmation Surgery Department at Rush University Medical Center for a one-year fellowship under the Plastics Division, training under Loren Schechter, MD, to expand her surgical expertise and serve the transgender community. While menopause and women’s health are having a moment, there is still so much work to be done.  

Dr. Paya Ten said, “The women I care for in Cusco have often been told that pelvic floor symptoms are just part of life after childbirth or with age. The same is true for women in Chicago, in every socioeconomic bracket. Pelvic floor dysfunction is treatable. Incontinence, prolapse, pain — these have real solutions.

Her advice for women: “Please speak up, ask questions, and find a provider who takes you seriously. You deserve to be heard.”

Womens health mission trip 4-team

On a mission trip in Cusco, Peru, through the Peruvian Hearts Foundation, the Endeavor Health team — seen here with foundation and clinic staff — completed more than 40 surgical urogynecological procedures for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in four days for women who traveled for hours to visit the clinic. 

How to support global health initiatives and pelvic health fellowships

There is always more need than supply on mission trips, so donations, which go directly toward patient care and supply costs, can be given to Peruvian Hearts Foundation. Donations can be made at peruvianhearts.com, and clinicians who want to volunteer also can inquire online.  

The three-year, ACGME-accredited fellowship prepares future leaders in female pelvic medicine through advanced surgical training, compassionate patient care and robust research mentorship. Fellows graduate as expert consultants, investigators and minimally invasive surgeons. The program is sponsored by the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
 

Comprehensive support for specialized gynecologic health

Some health concerns require more than a routine visit — and Endeavor Health is here when they do. Our specialists provide advanced, multidisciplinary care for pelvic floor disorders, gynecologic cancers, complex family planning and more.

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