St. Louis - SSM Health SLUCare Physician Group and Saint Louis University School of Medicine have named Monique V. Swain, MD, FACOG, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health.
Dr. Swain joins SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of Medicine following a national search. She brings experience leading graduate medical education, developing clinical programs, advancing faculty, and improving quality across a large health system. Her clinical expertise includes breast health and cancer genetics, including care for women diagnosed with breast cancer, those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, and other patients at elevated risk, and women with benign breast disease.
"I was drawn to SSM Health and Saint Louis University because of the genuine commitment to closing health inequities and understanding the social factors that affect care," Dr. Swain said. "I became a physician to help people and make sure every patient has access to equitable, high-quality care. I look forward to working with our multidisciplinary teams and communities to improve maternal outcomes, strengthen breast cancer screening, and build a women's health program that supports patients throughout their lives."
Dr. Swain most recently served as Residency Program Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Henry Ford Hospital, a role she held since 2021, and as a clinical Associate Professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She previously served as Division Director of Gynecology at Henry Ford Hospital from 2018 to 2022. Her leadership has included physician recruitment and retention, clinical quality improvement, health system integration, and initiatives to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
As Chair, Dr. Swain will lead the department's clinical, research and educational programs and work across SSM Health and Saint Louis University to strengthen women's care in the St. Louis region. One of her priorities is care for women as they age, including closer collaboration with Cardiology, Oncology, and Endocrinology to address cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disease, osteoporosis, menopause, and other health needs.
"Women deserve care that evolves with them, from adolescence and their reproductive years through perimenopause, menopause and later life," Dr. Swain said. "My goal is for patients to know that SSM Health and SLU can care for them at every stage with qualified experts when their needs become more complex."
Her training in breast health and cancer genetics will also inform efforts to strengthen breast education, risk assessment, and early detection within women's health. Dr. Swain said many patients first bring breast concerns to their OB/GYN. She wants physicians and trainees to feel prepared to evaluate those concerns, review family history, identify patients who may need earlier or enhanced screening and coordinate specialty care when needed.
Dr. Swain maintains an active commitment to research and academic medicine. Her work has received external funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and she has published in JAMA Obstetrics & Gynecology and JAMA Oncology. She is a national examiner with the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, co-Chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District V Annual District meeting, a member of the National Exam Committee for the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Chair of the Southeast Michigan Center for Medical Education OBGYN section.
Dr. Swain earned her medical degree and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She completed a fellowship in Breast Health and Cancer Genetics at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in 2015.
Dr. Swain succeeds Mary McLennan, MD, who retired June 30 after 27 years of service to Saint Louis University and SSM Health SLUCare Physician Group, including serving as Department Chair since 2015. Greg Ward, MD, served as interim chair during the transition.
About SSM Health
Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, fully integrated health system working to advance health equity and empower all people to achieve their full potential.
With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health provides convenient access to high-quality community-based services as well as world-class academic medicine, clinical trials and research studies. The organization’s footprint includes hospitals, physician offices, outpatient and virtual care services, senior care, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a fully transparent pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. As one of the largest employers in every community it serves, the organization’s more than 40,000 team members and more than 15,000 providers are dedicated to fulfilling SSM Health’s Mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.” For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, liver disease, heart/lung disease, aging and brain disease, and infectious diseases.
