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The objective of the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at Penn (FPM/RS) fellowship program is to provide high quality comprehensive education in urogynecology and pelvic floor disorders for obstetrician-gynecologists and urologists.    The program will provide clinical, surgical and research training in the field of FPM/RS that will lead to development of clinicians preparing for a career in academic medicine.  The Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery serves as a major referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction. To provide patients with the best possible outcome, our specialists work closely with urologists, colo-rectal surgeons, radiologists, and physical therapists.

Number of First Year Positions: 1

Clinical

Clinical training consists of an intensive experience in the clinical care of patients with incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. Ample surgical experience will be obtained in repairs of urinary incontinence, anal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginoplasties and female genital tract fistulas. Fellows will be trained in vaginal, abdominal, laparoscopic and robotic surgery.  To provide multidisciplinary training, fellows will progress through well-defined rotations in Female Urology in the Department of Urology, Colorectal surgery in the Department of Colorectal Surgery, and pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation. Fellows will also be expected to be involved in the teaching of residents and medical students.

The inpatient service is based at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Pennsylvania Hospital (PaH).  The division performs approximately 500 major surgical procedures every year. Pennsylvania Hospital, one of the University of Pennsylvania Health System’s core hospitals, is located about 10 minutes away from the main campus.  At PaH, fellows participate in selected major surgical procedures, and also rotate in the ambulatory practice on a full-time basis.

In addition to its inpatient facilities, the Division will also utilize the new operataing rooms in the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, a fully staffed and equipped surgical unit where diagnostic and therapeutic procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis.  This unit has full capability to perform operative laparoscopy, cystoscopic and robotic procedures.

Research

Research time is distributed over the three-year period.  This allows fellows to develop the research protocol during the first year, followed by continued involvement during the second year with final writing of thesis during the third year. Fellows have greater than 12 months of protected research time. We expect that all fellows will complete between one and three projects leading to presentations at national meetings and publications by the third year. 

Education

The Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery maintains an active teaching schedule that includes a weekly lecture series and journal club within the division. All major topics pertinent to FPM/RS are covered in this lecture series every year. The weekly conference also allows for presentation and discussion of complex patients seen in the institution during the previous week, and any current patients who need major treatment decisions made.  In addition, once a month multi-disciplinary conferences are held with Urology and Colo-rectal Surgery. The joint Urology-FPM/RS conferences are attended by faculty, residents and fellows of both divisions and are an intensive teaching and patient management conference.  The joint Colo-rectal-FPM/RS surgery conference is also attended by both faculty and residents of both Divisions with focus on fecal incontinence, rectal prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction.  Radiologists and Physical Therapists also attend both conferences to foster interdisciplinary discussion, collaboration and teaching of fellows.

Current Fellows

• Joy A. Greer, MD
• Saya Segal, MD
• Uduak Umoh, MD

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Application Requirements

• Personal Statement
• Three Letters of Reference
• USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 scores (step 3 must be passed for PA license)

Our program is participating in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and the last date to submit ERAS applications is April 15th.

Participating Faculty
Lily A. Arya, MD, MS Fellowship Program Director Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Interim Chief, Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery	Dr. Arya has been successful in establishing a dynamic multi-disciplinary collaboration for the treatment of pelvic floor disorders at Penn.  Her research activities include epidemiologic aspects of pelvic floor dysfunction and treatment outcomes. She directs the fellowship having program and medical student elective in FPM/RS.  Dr. Arya has also developed a robotic pelvic reconstructive surgery program.
Najia Mahmoud, MD Assistant Professor of Surgery	Dr. Mahmoud has a particular interest in surgery for pelvic floor disorders such as fecal incontinence, rectocele, rectal prolapse as well as sphincter-saving procedures for rectal cancer. Research efforts focus on the impact of colorectal cancer genetics on treatment and evaluation of novel chemoprevention agents for colorectal cancer and issues related to continence.
Alan J. Wein, MD Professor and Chair of the Division of Urology	Published more than 700 articles,  and is co-chairman of the World Health Organization 1st and 2nd  International Consultations on Incontinence.   His fields of interest lie in urologic oncology, voiding function and dysfunction.
Samuel K. Chacko, DVM, PhD Director of the Basic Urologic Research Laobratory	Ongoing research projects include molecular/cellular mechanisms for smooth muscle contractile dysfunction and cytodifferentiation of smooth muscle.  Technical approaches include expression of contractile proteins using a baccaulovirus expression system, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization.

 

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Helpful Links

• American Urogynecologic Society
• American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology