About the URPS Fellowship
The URPS Fellowship is primarily based at BIDMC with clinical rotations also available at Mount Auburn Hospital (MAH) in Cambridge. Our clinician-researchers are trained to provide excellent patient-centered care for patients with pelvic floor disorders, while fostering an inclusive, collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environment.
The goals of our fellowship program are to:
- Train the next generation of clinicians who are skilled pelvic surgeons, passionate clinicians and insightful scientists, who have the comprehensive abilities to conceptualize and address female pelvic floor disorders with an array of treatment options based on individual patient needs.
- Implement and publish results of research projects addressing the key issues in clinical areas of urogynecology.
- Teach and collaborate with medical student, residents, fellows and faculty from other sub-specialties.
With these goals in mind, we strive to ensure our graduating fellows are capable of independent practice. Among these objectives, we work to ensure that upon graduation, the fellow will be confident in performing a variety of surgical reconstructive procedures, utilizing laparoscopic, vaginal robotic and abdominal surgical modalities as needed. They will be able to evaluate and treat a variety of disorders in female pelvic medicine in the outpatient setting and be familiar with the most common urologic, gastrointestinal and colorectal diseases that impact women.
Education
Our comprehensive and dynamic didactic weekly curriculum features a variety of engaging components, including faculty presentations from both BIDMC and Mount Auburn Hospital. Our fellows also take the lead in delivering presentations, facilitating discussions on journal articles and participating in research meetings.
To enhance the training experience, we allocate time and clinical coverage for participation in regional and national cadaver courses and clinical training seminars.
Our fellows actively participate in various local conferences including the following:
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Network: A quarterly conference with experts in urology, colorectal surgery, physical therapy, gastroenterology and urogynecology.
- Boston Children's Hospital Transition Care Group: A committee focused on the seamless transition of pediatric patients with complex pelvic floor disorders to adult care at BIDMC.
To foster strong connections with the wider community, we proactively engage in two significant initiatives.
We are active participants in the Boston-wide URPS journal club, which brings together providers from the greater Boston area. This platform lets us exchange knowledge and insights with colleagues in our local region.
We also participate in the New England URPS journal club. This club features providers from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine. This forum helps us broaden our network and enrich our understanding of URPS through meaningful discussions and shared experiences.
Clinical
Our program involves a highly active clinical environment. While we perform surgeries using various modalities, the program's strength lies in laparoscopy. Fellows divide their time between clinic and the operating room, with an emphasis on training to support our large surgical volume.
We do not have specific off-service rotations. Instead, fellow opportunities in colorectal surgery, urology, and gastroenterology are integrated into their core block rotations. This approach allows for a comprehensive learning experience and lets fellows tailor their experience based on their interests.
By the time of graduation, fellows will have acquired the skills necessary to perform these procedures competently:
- Urogynecologic evaluation
- Bladder Botox injections
- Pelvic floor Botox injections
- Percutaneous nerve evaluation, stage I and stage II sacral neuromodulation
- Cystoscopy
- Multichannel urodynamics
- Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
- Hysteropexy (laparoscopic cerclage sacral hysteropexy, laparoscopic uterosacral hysteropexy, sacrospinous hysteropexy)
- Retropubic, transobturator, and single-incision synthetic mid-urethral slings
- Robotic/Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
- In-office bulking injections for stress incontinence
- Transvaginal native tissue and biologic-graft augmented prolapse repairs
Research
Our robust research infrastructure is strengthened by our partnership with Harvard Medical School. First-year fellows participate in an online research methodology and statistics course alongside other OBGYN fellows at BIDMC.
Fellows collaborate closely with the Division of Research at BIDMC, which is made up of a team of faculty epidemiologists, skilled data coordinators, and research assistants. This team actively supports fellows in their research endeavors, providing valuable guidance and resources.
We firmly believe in seamlessly integrating an inquisitive mindset and research training with clinical care. We actively teach fellows how to achieve important research goals and develop their skills as investigators. By the time of graduation, fellows will be equipped to work as independent primary investigators while maintaining their clinical practice.
As part of their research engagement, fellows typically attend both the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) conferences. These conferences provide a platform for fellows to present their ongoing research projects, fostering a culture of sharing and collaboration within the field.
Our Teaching Faculty
- William Winkelman, MD
Fellowship Program Director, BIDMC
- Roger Lefevre, MD
Division Director of Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, BIDMC
- Mallika Anand, MD
Director of the Center for Intimate Health and Wellness, BIDMC
- Peter Rosenblatt, MD
Division Director of Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, MAH
- Anthony DiScuillo, MD
Division Director of Gynecology, MAH
- Katharine Esselen, MD, MBA
Gynecologic Oncology, BIDMC
- Johanna Iturrino, MD
Gastroenterology, BIDMC
- Ruslan Korets, MD
Urologic Surgery, BIDMC
- Thomas Cataldo, MD
Colorectal Surgery, BIDMC
- Joseph Dottino, MD
Gynecologic Oncology, BIDMC
- Michele Hacker, ScD, MPH
Epidemiologic Research, BIDMC
Meet Our Fellows
Residency
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Magee Women's Hospital
Medical School
Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency
Loyola University Medical Center
Medical School
St. Louis University School of Medicine
Alexander Bruscke, MD, MBA
PGY7
Residency
WellSpan York Hospital
Medical School
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
