Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Education
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Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship


Robert A. Burger, MD
Program Director

University of Pennsylvania Health System
Department of OB/GYN
Jordan Center for Gynecologic Cancer at Penn
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
Third Floor West
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Phone: (215)220-9513
Fax: (215)220-9515

Please direct all fellowship application inquiries to
Denise Curley at denise.curley@uphs.upenn.edu

Prerequisites:

Must have completed an ABOG approved residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and be eligible for a Pennsylvania state medical license.

Number of First Year Positions: 2 or 1

Program Description:

Clinical:

The Gynecologic Oncology inpatient service is based at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). In June of 2005, we moved our inpatient service to a newly renovated state of the art gynecology floor with a predominance of single patient rooms. The division maintains an inpatient census of approximately 10 to 15 patients being treated with various modalities for gynecologic cancers. Since 1999, the division has also had a full-time presence in gynecologic oncology at Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH), one of the University of Pennsylvania Health System’s core hospitals, located about 10 minutes away from the main campus. There, fellows participate two days per week in selected major surgical procedures, but do not rotate on a full-time basis.

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has 32 operating suites, four of which are brand-new rooms opened in 2005. With the completion of our new Cancer Center/Ambulatory Pavillion, currently under construction, we expect to add eight additional outpatient operating rooms. The Division of Gynecologic Oncology has priority operating time five days weekly, and in academic year ’05-06 did 1,586 surgical procedures, an increase of 56% since 2001.

Research:

The laboratory experience will allow fellows to learn the basic techniques involved in the study of the molecular immunology of gynecologic cancers and participate in ongoing research programs designed to define the most important immunologic alterations that contribute to the tumorogenic process for gynecologic cancers, and to identify means to alter these processes. Our Division of Gynecologic Oncology is exceptional in having its own dedicated translational research laboratory, with about 1500 square feet of space supporting 12 full time researchers, including faculty, postdoctoral researchers, fellows, and others. The first year gynecologic oncology fellow will also have the opportunity to engage in clinical research, and will be ideally positioned to facilitate the development of translational research as basic science observations are taken quickly from the research laboratory to clinical trials. This full year of protected, supervised research time will allow all fellows ample opportunity for development and preparation of the thesis required for board certification. We expect that all fellows will complete between one and three projects leading to publication during this research year.

The subsequent two years of the training program will be an intensive experience in the clinical care of gynecologic oncology patients, with an emphasis on radical pelvic surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Fellows will also spend a significant portion of their time in clinical research, and will be expected to be involved in the teaching of residents and medical students. In addition, they will have the opportunity to continue some involvement with the basic laboratory research projects undertaken during their first fellowship year.

The division is an active participant in the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), an NCI-sponsored national collaborative research organization. There are currently approximately 35 prospective clinical trials involving the chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery of gynecologic cancer active at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. As one of only about 12 GOG Phase I trial sites nationally, Penn has a special opportunity to develop and participate in cutting edge clinical research. In addition, the division sponsors a number of innovative clinical trials through the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. These have included trials of photodynamic therapy and monoclonal antibodies for ovarian cancer, and trials of immunotherapy for ovarian cancer utilizing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and tumor-stimulated T cells. Currently, we are conducting a highly innovative trial of tumor peptide-pulsed dendritic cells as vaccine therapy for ovarian cancer patients in complete remission.

Education:

The Division of Gynecologic Oncology maintains an active teaching schedule that includes a gynecologic pathology teaching conference and a patient management conference. The pathology conference, which takes place for one hour weekly, allows our fellows an ongoing exposure to the histopathology of gynecologic cancers. The Division also has a weekly colposcopy and cytopathology conference. In addition, our weekly treatment planning conference allows for presentation and discussion of all new gynecologic cancer patients seen in the institution during the previous week, and any current patients who need major treatment decisions made. The conference is attended by members of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and our colleagues in Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology, to foster interdisciplinary discussion, collaboration and teaching of fellows.

Current Fellows:

  • Lori Cory, MD
  • Erin George, MD
  • David Shalowitz, MD
  • Ashley Graul, MD
  • Sonali Patankar, MD

Application Requirements

  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Two letters of recommendation (one should be from the Chair of your department)
  • Completed Fellowship Application

Please note that we only accept applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Application deadline is May 15th

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