Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) Fellowship

Our comprehensive and dynamic didactic curriculum takes place every Tuesday from 7:00 am - 9:00 am. and features a variety of engaging components, including faculty presentations from both Mount Auburn Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. 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.
• Mount Auburn Hospital Quality Improvement Committee: A Mount Auburn Hospital departmental meeting where we review and discuss complications with a focus on quality improvement.

To foster strong connections with the wider FPMRS community, we proactively engage in two significant initiatives.

We are active participants in the Boston-wide FPMRS 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 FPMRS 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 FPMRS through meaningful discussions and shared experiences.

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.

Our fellows also collaborate closely with the gynecologic oncology team, gaining valuable experience in performing complex retroperitoneal dissections. This opportunity not only solidifies their understanding of anatomy but also equips them to tackle cases involving intricate anatomical considerations.

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

Our robust research infrastructure is strengthened by our collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and our partnership with Harvard Medical School. As part of this collaboration, first-year fellows participate in an online research methodology and statistics course alongside other OB/GYN 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.

When you choose Mount Auburn Hospital, your benefits include:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance
• Medical malpractice insurance
• Four weeks’ vacation
• Discounted parking and public transportation
• Discounted car and homeowners insurance
• Annual education stipend
• Annual membership to AUGS
• Retirement benefits: 2% employer contribution. You do not need to contribute to the plan for this to occur and clinical fellows will be automatically enrolled
• Competitive salary (2023-2024 figures)
  • PGY 5: $83,160
  • PGY 6: $90,591
  • PGY 7: $93,036

Access to Harvard Resources: As an FPMRS fellow at Mount Auburn, you’ll hold an appointment as a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School. That means you’ll have access to:

• All Harvard libraries, including the Harvard Medical School library, during and after residency
• Harvard Faculty Club membership
• Harvard athletic centers discount
• Outings & Innings perks and discounts, including tickets to museums, movies, sporting events and more
• Discounted computers, software and more through Harvard University Information Technology
• Networking opportunities via Harvard Catalyst
• University lectures and symposiums

Our program prepares you for a career in a variety of health care facilities. Past fellows from our program have accepted positions both locally and nationally, including Emory University, Kaiser Permanente, the New England Medical Center, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California Davis.

Graduation from accredited residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

All applications must be submitted via Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The OB/GYN Fellowships participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). A complete application must include the following:

• Completed ERAS Program Application
• Curriculum Vitae (submitted via ERAS)
• Three (3) letters of recommendation, one of which must be from your Residency Program Director (submitted via ERAS)
  CREOG transcripts from PGY 1-3 years (emailed to program administrator)

We adhere to the AUGS FPMRS application deadlines. Typically our interview spots are filled during first round interview offers.

We offer two days of virtual interviews in April/May.

For more information, contact fellowship program director William Winkelman, MD.