The Vagenius Training origin story

Every company has an origin story and ours has a point of difference – we set up Vagenius Training with the aim to be so successful in filling a pelvic-health skills gap, it wouldn't be needed in just a few years

Meet the co-founders of Vagenius Training: Rachel Andrew is an APA Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist, and Colette McKiernan is a specialist in adult education and professional development. Vagenius Training is an Australian online pelvic health training company based in Lutriwita / Tasmania.

Rachel and Colette started Vagenius to fill a pelvic-health-related skills gap and are planning to close the business as soon as that gap no longer exists

In her work as a pelvic health physiotherapist, Rachel treats women with pelvic health symptoms across the life span. Her passion is treating patients with persistent pelvic pain. And she had more patients than she could manage.

Rachel saw the overwhelm of patients and of medical professionals while working within multidisciplinary teams and talking to GPs, gynaecologists, nurses and allied health professionals.

Medicos were feeling overwhelmed with repeat visits by patients they viewed as having complex, separate, seemingly unresolvable issues. There was a skills gap when it came to pelvic-health related issues, that meant patients were going too long without diagnoses and treatment.

'You've likely heard the statistic that it takes people with endometriosis between 7 and 11 years before they're diagnosed. That's a lot of time-consuming and expensive GP and Emergency Department visits, and a lousy and ever-worsening quality of life.' – Rachel

Rachel spent years learning about persistent pelvic pain, vulval pain, pelvic organ prolapse, problematic periods in adolescence, perimenopause and menopause, and pregnancy and postpartum issues through gaining a Masters in Women's Health at Curtin University, ongoing research, attending conferences and workshops and talking to experts.

She could see how quickly her patients responded to evidence-based treatment when they understood how their symptoms were linked and how they could self-manage some of them.

'It was obvious to me that GPs are best placed to diagnose pelvic health-related conditions as soon as they present – without letting them worsen. They just needed access to the most current information, presented in a digestible format.' – Rachel

Rachel and Colette rolled up their sleeves two years ago and founded Vagenius Training and have since created three engaging online professional development courses by specialist GPs, a pelvic physiotherapist and other experts.

'The courses are practical. GPs can apply what they learn from the very first session. Course leaders generously share their knowledge and practical tips, resources and downloads – upskilling learners to confidently take a complete informed history from patients with pelvic symptoms and quickly diagnose, treat or refer them.' – Rachel.

While Vagenius Training courses are great for GPs, participant feedback shows they're considered highly relevant for nurse practitioners and any medical professionals who work with people who have pelvic health issues.

And that's the story of how and why Vagenius Training began: to fill pelvic-health-related skills and knowledge gaps. The company's here to decrease GP workloads, increase their job satisfaction, and support them to improve their patients' lives.