Transforming the Future of Women’s Health and Reproductive Sciences DEPARTMENT
MAGEEMATTERS
Jambo, Kenya
International Partnership Offers UPMC Magee
Residents Global Health
Training That Enhances Care Close to Home
A MESSAGE FROM Dr. Robert Edwards
Dear Alumni of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital,
I hope this message finds you well. As cherished members of our Magee family, you hold a unique connection to the values and vision that define our community. I am writing to share an exciting initiative that embodies our commitment to advancing health care education and making a meaningful impact on global health.
Over four years ago, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital embarked on a groundbreaking educational program in Kenya, designed to train our residents in delivering medical care in limited-resource settings. This international experience not only equips residents with the skills and compassion to address the complexities of medicine in developing countries but also fosters cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of global health disparities.
Through collaboration with local health care providers and communities, our residents gain invaluable hands-on experience, while contributing to the development of sustainable health care solutions. The program emphasizes mutual learning and shared growth to ensure that both UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and the Kenyan communities we serve benefit from this partnership.
Traditionally, both global health care and residency training funding have been generously supported by federal sources. Earlier this year, over consecutive weekends, both federal program funding sources supporting care of the poor and underserved were markedly reduced. As we work to create lasting change in global health care in a period of dire need, we hope you will join us in championing this initiative— whether through mentorship, advocacy, or support.
We are profoundly grateful for the role alumni like you play in inspiring and supporting our efforts. Your legacy of excellence and dedication continues to motivate us to innovate and expand our horizons. Thank you for being part of the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital community.
Together, we can empower the next generation of health care professionals and build bridges that transform lives across the world. This, after all, is our mission and has been since Magee’s inception: to care for women who have need.
Sincerely,
Bob
Building Something Bigger
From Medical School to Medical Director, Dr. Amber Samuel’s Unexpected Path to Leadership in Maternal-Fetal Medicine
by Faith Jeffcoat
“There is no part of the human experience that isn’t impacted by the care of an ob-gyn in some way. By bringing your best self to your patients, you can make things a little better for an entire existence.”
As a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine, Amber Samuel had always been drawn to the complexities of medicine, but it wasn’t until she heard this perspective from Dr. Amy Young, her Medical Student Director at the time, that she understood the real impact of ob-gyn care.
It was a specialty that went beyond delivering babies and performing surgeries — it was about shaping lives, advocating for patients, and influencing generations through care. That realization set Amber on a path that would shape her career.
By the time she began her residency at UPMC MageeWomens Hospital in 2006, she was certain about her calling as an ob-gyn. But there was one more thing she knew for sure — maternal-fetal medicine was not the path she wanted to take.
Dr. Samuel credits her growth not only to the clinical training she received at Magee but also to the lessons she learned from mentors like Dr. Hy Simhan: “He’s the kind of person who inspires you to be your best, not just as a doctor, but as a person. Hy has this unique ability to think quickly on his feet and approach every challenge with a solutionoriented mindset. He cares deeply about his patients, especially those facing recurrent pregnancy loss, and that passion left a lasting impression on me. He pushed me to always strive for more—smarter, kinder, and more compassionate care.”
IN SUPPORTING RESIDENTS, FELLOWS, AND PROGRAMS AT MAGEE-WOMENS?
Contact Jessica Rock at rockjj2@mwri.magee.edu or 412-641-4008
Follow @MageeWomens for Magee community news and events, including the upcoming 50th Annual Magee Alumni Day.
“I knew the one thing I did not want to do was maternal-fetal medicine,” Dr. Samuel admits with a laugh. “But during my first rotation in labor and delivery, I found that nothing brought me as much joy as working with the patients and physicians in that unit. The energy, the teamwork, the challenge of managing complex pregnancies, the variety of cases — it was a chance to help families during one of the most pivotal times in their lives. I never witnessed humanity’s joy, grace, and grief more than on the labor floor.”
During her intern year, the intensity of labor and delivery tested not only her clinical skills but also her identity as a physician.
“During my time on the labor floor, I learned that I could be there for people during the good and hard times. It’s hard to say when you know exactly who you are as a person, but I can 100% say that my intern night rotation on labor and delivery at Magee was exactly when I knew who I was as a doctor.”
After completing her residency at UPMC Magee, Dr. Samuel pursued a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center, where she quickly realized that the well-rounded training she received at Magee had equipped her with skills and expertise that set her apart.
Following her fellowship, Dr. Samuel took a job as the Director of the Perinatal Center at Emory Midtown. A year later, she and her husband moved to The Woodlands, Texas, to be closer to family. Faced with limited maternal-fetal medicine opportunities in the area, she joined Pediatrix Medical Group as Medical Director, working alongside a small team of neonatologists in Houston who needed a maternalfetal medicine specialist.
As the community’s demand for maternal-fetal medicine grew, so did the practice. Over the next 10 years, Dr. Samuel led its transformation from a small team into a thriving operation.
“This growth was a natural response to a growing community need. As the demand for maternal-fetal medicine services increased, so did the need for more providers, which in turn allowed the practice to expand its reach even further,” Dr. Samuel says.
What began with just a handful of staff evolved into Obstetrix-Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Houston — now a dynamic group of 13 physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, and 130 staff members across eight locations, serving approximately 4,500 patients a month.
“It was never part of my plan to lead a large practice or build something from the ground up. But in doing so, I realized I lacked formal training in business and finance, so I pursued an executive MBA at Northwestern, balancing coursework on nights and weekends while continuing to grow the practice. It gave me a better understanding of the business side of healthcare, allowing me to shape something meaningful — focusing on practice culture, patient care, and evidence-based medicine.”
While the practice’s growth has been remarkable, Dr. Samuel attributes much of that success to the team’s shared values. “We’ve built a culture of kindness and collaboration,” she says. “Every day, I see our staff go above and beyond for our patients. It’s not just about providing medical care — it’s about creating a compassionate, patient-centered environment.”
Her path wasn’t what she expected — but, as Dr. Samuel reflects, “Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I could have done anything else as well.”
As her career continues to evolve, Dr. Samuel remains committed to staying involved and continually learning. “Maternal-fetal medicine is a dynamic field, and you need to stay engaged, whether it’s reading or interacting with researchers or in my case, connecting with professional societies like the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM),” Dr. Samuel says.
Her advice to alumni navigating their own career paths is twofold: First, follow your heart — life often leads you to places you never imagined. Second, focus on the relationships you build along the way:
“The connections I formed with fellow trainees and faculty at Magee have played a huge role in shaping my career. I still stay in close contact with some of my co-residents. And the lessons I learned at Magee continue to guide me every day.”
Tell Women We’re Here. Urogynecology Division Places Female Pelvic Health Front and Center
by Gina Edwards
Whether they’ve suffered for months or years with unexplained urinary incontinence, debilitating pelvic pain, or troubling symptoms of prolapse, there is a common confession from new patients at their first urogynecologist appointment: “I didn’t know this kind of doctor existed.”
It’s a public health issue that the team of surgeonscientists in the Division of Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstruction at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital is determined to address. Under the direction of Dr. Pamela Moalli, who is also the Interim Executive Director of Magee-Womens Research Institute, the Division at UPMC Magee is one of the largest academic urogynecology groups in the United States — providing world-class, evidencebased care while generating novel research and innovations aimed at supporting women’s pelvic floor health.
“While pelvic floor disorders affect millions of women, scientifically based therapies to treat them are sparse,” Dr. Moalli says. “We aim to improve the lives of women by making current treatments more effective and developing novel therapies specifically targeted at repairing underlying injury.”
The Division of Urogynecology at UPMC Magee is dedicated to a broad array of conditions impacting female pelvic health. Because these conditions have traditionally been undertreated and underrecognized, some people quietly live with them for years.
“Patients delay coming to see a specialist because they simply do not know there is one,” explains Dr. Jocelyn Fitzgerald, Assistant Professor of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery.
“Then they come to see us at 65 instead of 35.”
Cross-Disciplinary Care: Division of Urogynecology Clinical Programs
With combined expertise in urology and gynecology, urogynecologists are uniquely trained to address conditions affecting both the pelvic organs and urinary tract, like urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary tract infections. The Division uses a multidisciplinary approach to empower women with the knowledge and support they need to achieve optimal health and wellness.
“We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our patients by offering innovative treatments, advanced surgical techniques, and personalized care plans,” says Dr. Megan Bradley, Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery Fellowship Program Director.
While the Division treats a variety of conditions, it has dedicated programs for chronic pelvic pain through the Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Center and peri-/postpartum pelvic floor issues at the Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing Clinic.
“We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our patients by offering innovative treatments, advanced surgical techniques, and personalized care plans.”
— Dr. Megan Bradley
Follow @mageeurogyn and @mageeurogynfellowship on IG.
“We are proud to provide high-quality comprehensive care for pelvic floor disorders both at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and across a wide range of locations in Western and Central Pennsylvania thanks to the commitment of our providers and staff, and the uptake of telemedicine by providers and patients alike,” Dr. Bradley says.
Innovating Pelvic Floor Treatments: Urogynecology Research Programs
Current solutions for prolapse, lower-urinary tract symptoms, and other pelvic floor disorders can lead to significantly improved quality of life, but there is still significant room for improvement. The Division’s goal is to push the boundaries of current treatment paradigms to improve outcomes for women with these problems across the life course.
“Because much is still unknown about why pelvic floor disorders occur and how to treat them, our team has a broad research portfolio to tackle the research gap,” says Dr. Bradley.
Research from the faculty surgeon-scientists in the Division at UPMC Magee is robust — with collaborations at the Magee-Womens Research Institute, Erie Campus, located within UPMC Hamot, and through Western and Central Pennsylvania.
Current initiatives include developing new biomaterials to improve outcomes in disorders such as prolapse and incontinence; understanding recurring urinary tract infections in older women with the goal of creating better protocols that limit antibiotic use; and developing robust biomimetic models for teaching surgical residents and fellows using minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as laparoscopy and robotics.
De-Stigmatizing & Raising Awareness: Urogynecology Education Programs
With one of the largest Urogynecology and Reconstructive Surgery (URPS) fellowships in the country, the Division trains two fellows per year for a complement of six fellows. Division faculty are also educators at the annual Eastern OH/Western PA/Western NY Regional URPS Fellows course, which brings together fellows from multiple institutions in the Great Lakes region to lead simulation activities for trainees.
“We are currently working with trainees at all levels and across specialties, including ob-gyn, urology, internal medicine, and geriatrics, to ensure that pelvic floor disorders are de-stigmatized and discussed with patients,” Dr. Bradley explains. “We hope that providing trainees with the tools and resources to broach these subjects will allow for patients to have quicker access to evidence-based therapies and subspecialty referrals when needed.”
In addition to teaching in the operating room and office, the Division strengthens residents’ surgical skills through simulation including vaginal hysterectomy models, cadaver labs, and robotic simulation. There are weekly conferences in addition to weekly fellow didactic sessions that the resident on service attends.
As the Division continues to enhance and evolve its programs, its faculty members work towards raising public awareness of the field in the pursuit of helping more women access the care they need to live their best lives. Dr. Bradley credits her Division’s collaborative approach to not only bettering women’s quality of life but also driving their discipline forward:
“Our dedication to research, education, and patient-centered care drives us to continually advance the field of urogynecology and improve the lives of those we serve.”
UROGYNECOLOGY RESEARCH & EDUCATION FUND
One way to support the Division of Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstruction is through the Urogynecology Research & Education Fund. Learn more about the fund and how to support it by contacting Jessica Rock at rockjj2@mwri.magee. edu or 412-641-4008.
Jambo, Kenya International Partnership Offers UPMC Magee Residents Global Health Training That Enhances Care Close to Home
by Gina Edwards
It’s early March of 2020, and Dr. Nina Ragunanthan is a resident at UPMC MageeWomens Hospital. She’s also the first participant of a brand-new global health residency program in Kisumu City, Kenya.
One day, while assisting an attending Kenyan physician with a gynecologic surgery case, Dr. Ragunanthan gets a call for support from the other operating room. She arrives to find a patient with an accreta — a life-threatening condition where the placenta becomes embedded in and attached to the uterus, causing hemorrhaging.
Dr. Ragunanthan follows the lead of Dr. Jennifer Makin, Ob/Gyn, Global Health Specialist, and Expert Colposcopist. Together they perform an emergency cesarean hysterectomy — a time-critical procedure with risks heightened by the local blood shortage, scant ICU beds, and limited resources.
Occurring in less than 0.2% of all pregnancies, placenta accreta is rare — and so are cesarean hysterectomies. But as the first resident to participate in this international clinical immersion program, Dr. Ragunanthan gained experience in addressing both.
Under the leadership of program directors Dr. Makin and Kenyan gynecologist-oncologist Dr. Gregory Ganda, UPMC Magee residents spend four weeks in rotation at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital. This donor-funded elective offered to residents at UPMC Magee provides important clinical exposure to and experience in obstetric and gynecologic conditions that are uncommonly seen and infrequently treated in the U.S., like late ectopic pregnancies, cryptococcal meningitis in pregnancy, abdominal tuberculosis, and fibroids, among others.
“Engaging in international medical work compels clinicians to refine their decision-making skills by relying on intuition, clinical knowledge, and physical examination due to limited diagnostic resources. This environment enhances adaptability and problemsolving abilities, fostering greater confidence in patient assessments,” Dr. Makin says.
Since the program launched in 2020, 11 residents and 6 attending physicians from UPMC Magee have participated, with plans to expand the model in coming years.
How It Started
In 2017, Dr. Makin participated in a fellowship program with Massachusetts General Hospital in Kenya, a country whose population faces staggering rates of malaria and HIV, resulting in a severe lack of available blood for transfusion, among other resource challenges.
She worked to support underserved communities during a yearlong strike of doctors and nurses. While all public hospitals were closed, she helped her team develop protocols and strategies to deal with obstetric emergencies and identified many women with microinvasive cervical cancer.
During her time in Kenya, Dr. Makin connected with Dr. Ganda at Jaramogi, with whom she worked and trained closely to operate and learn best surgical practices. Dr. Ganda recognizes the importance of international exchange programs, having previously participated in one of the first gynecology training programs in East Africa led by University of Toronto lecturers.
“Such exchanges are very important because they build people into global citizens,” Dr. Ganda says. “You get to learn new things, like doing surgery in remote areas where you don’t have enough equipment.”
Together, Dr. Makin and Dr. Ganda formulated a proposal to form a residency elective offering this critical global health experience to others.
“Exposure to diverse health care systems and cultural perspectives necessitates adjusting clinical interventions to align with local norms and patient preferences, leading to a permanent transformation in practice and adeptness at cultural competency,” Dr. Makin says. “I wanted other residents to have experiences like mine because it was so impactful, meaningful, and life changing for me.”
She approached different U.S. universities with the proposal. Eventually, she connected with Dr. Bob Edwards at UPMC Magee, who found the program’s objectives to expose residents to different health care systems, collaborate with different universities, and share cross-cultural education were compatible with the Department’s mission.
“I wanted other residents to have experiences like mine because it was so impactful, meaningful, and life changing for me.”
— Dr. Jennifer Makin
Building on Dr. Makin’s international experiences, they designed the 4-week program for Magee residents to gain international experience in both inpatient and outpatient care, as well as gynecologic surgery while receiving comprehensive supervision and guidance from UPMC attending faculty. The program aimed to foster a bilateral learning exchange with Kenyan medical students, interns, medical officers, residents, and obstetricians and gynecologists.
How it’s Going
Now in its 6th year, the Kenya program has offered a variety of experiences and lessons to those who attend. Every participant’s experience looks a little bit different — with Dr. Ragunanthan’s trip being cut short due to global pandemic restrictions. But she says that even the two weeks she spent there felt “jam-packed.”
“There were a lot of people who came in with complications from miscarriage or heavy bleeding anemia, needing blood transfusion or a D&C,” Dr. Ragunanthan says. “We also rounded in the wards, and managed different gynecologic complications, including cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.”
Since cervical cancer is typically caught later in Kenya, and colposcopy procedures are not readily available, detection of this disease was a bigger part of Dr. Ragunanthan’s experience.
“Dr. Makin taught me visual inspection with acetic acid, which is a screening tool without the use of colposcopy, and we performed several loop electrical excision procedures (LEEPs),” she says. “There are certain times they’ll have patients needing that procedure back-to-back, like every 15 minutes.”
For other program participants like Dr. Rachel Dang, who participated in the elective during her third year of residency, her rotation at Jaramogi made her realize that resources like imaging and labs are taken for granted in the United States.
“The students in Kenya were taught to rely very heavily on their exam. I remember the consultant telling the students that based on looking at a patient’s fingers, tongue, and eyes they should be able to estimate their hemoglobin level,” she says, adding that the experience has given her skills for her current role at a public hospital in New York:
“The lessons I took away from my rotation at Jaramogi were particularly helpful in working with culturally diverse communities with varied engagement in health care as well as working in an under-resourced environment. I learned so much about staying adaptable and working with the resources you have.”
Attending physicians also serve an important role on the team, both in guiding Magee residents and learning as providers themselves. Dr. Amaris Yandel, an ob-gyn who participated in the program during 2022 and 2023, said that the built-in knowledge exchange of the program makes it particularly impactful.
“There is an exchange of skills and information that continues even after we all go home,” Dr. Yandel says.
“I really enjoyed teaching LEEPs to the registrars and am glad that that is something that is continuing to grow even when we are not there.”
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Ragunanthan adds that the program is mutually beneficial — not just a good opportunity for Magee trainees to gain surgical and clinical experience: “Dr. Makin is ensuring that this the program is something that’s sustainable, in partnership with the Kenyan doctors and under their supervision. It’s not just a drop-in program — it’s collaborative.”
What’s in Store
In Fall of 2024, Dr. Ganda traveled to UPMC Magee for their annual Alumni Day. There, he and Dr. Makin shared presentations with alumni about the program and the importance of reciprocity with international partnerships.
“It must be mutually beneficial for there to be longterm sustainability. When both of us are benefiting, eventually the patient does, too,” he says. “When the
Magee fellows come here, they get a lot of knowledge in surgical skills that will benefit a patient in the U.S.”
“Emphasizing ethical practices and mutual benefits, the program was meticulously organized and is continually evaluated to uphold these principles,” Dr. Makin says. “This structured approach ensures that participants receive a well-rounded, ethically sound, and culturally sensitive educational experience.”
For residents like Dr. Ragunanthan, now a practicing ob-gyn in Mississippi who often operates alone, the experience in Kenya proved to be an important precursor to a career working toward health equity: “Even on that short rotation, dealing with both the satisfaction and frustrations of working in an under resourced area certainly helped me with my career progress.”
Other participants like Dr. Yandel say that the experience reconnected them to their purpose as provider. “I honestly loved working in Kenya. Though the work was at times grueling, it reminded me of why I became a physician,” she says. “So often here we get caught up in paperwork and logistics and pressure to be ‘productive,’ whereas there it really felt like the patients were the center, which is what we all imagine when we get into medicine in the first place.”
To Dr. Ganda, this “partnership around friendship” upholds a commitment to a key value in medicine: equity.
Together, they aspire to continue building out the program, eventually making it a bidirectional exchange where Kenyan trainees could also come to Pittsburgh and train at UPMC Magee.
“Partnerships start with people; they’re never about documents,” says Dr. Ganda. “Jennifer and I have become friends who work together — she’s operated with me and learned a lot of complex surgery techniques from me, and I’ve learned techniques from her. When building the partnership, it starts around us, but then we exit because now the friendship becomes bigger.”
The Global Health Program in Kenya is made possible through donor support.
To learn more, or to make a gift toward the future of the program, visit:
Drs. Makin and Ganda outside of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital
American
Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) Alumni Gathering
October 22, 2024, Washington, DC
Hosting Physician – Mary Ackenbom, MD
49th Annual Alumni Day Program and Alumni Reception
October 24-25, 2024 , UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital
Hosting Physician – Richard S. Guido, MD
Save the Date: 50th Annual Magee Alumni Day Program & Reception September 25-26, 2025
American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) & Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) Alumni Gathering
November 16, 2024 , New Orleans, LA
Hosting Physician – Suketu Mansuria, MD
2024 Magee-Womens Summit Recap
Attendees from 21 countries, both in person and virtually, gathered to explore the latest advancements in women’s health at the 2024 Magee-Womens Summit, held on November 13 and 14 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Magee-Womens Summit featured powerful keynote addresses, including Dr. Elizabeth Comen’s compelling talk on historical and societal perceptions of women’s health, and Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz’s fascinating exploration of the potential in studying shared vulnerabilities between women and female animals.
A major highlight was the presentation of the $1 million Magee Prize to Dr. Ronald Buckanovich and his team for their innovative research into the EGFL6 gene’s role in obesity-related endometrial cancer. As Dr. Buckanovich shared, “There is no Super Bowl for cancer research, but getting the support to drive research forward so we can impact our patients’ lives is what motivates me. If I can make a difference that will lead to a cure for even a handful of patients, that will be my Super Bowl, my World Series, my Stanley Cup, all combined in one.”
Additionally, Magee-Womens researchers Dr. David Peters and Dr. Nicole Donnellan received an award from the Clinical & Translational Science Institute’s Women’s Pain Challenge for their project, A Blood Test for the Non-Invasive Detection of Endometriosis.
Award Alert
Congratulations to Magee-Womens alumna Dr. Vivian Sung (‘23), recipient of the 2024 SGS President’s Award. A past president of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS), Dr. Sung has made significant contributions to the field, particularly through her work with the Research Committee, Systematic Review Group, and the Pelvic Anatomy Group. Her leadership in advancing patient-centered outcomes research continues to inspire the field of urogynecology.
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Leadership Updates
As of July 1, 2024, Yoel Sadovsky, MD, Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, stepped down from his role as executive and scientific director of Magee-Womens Research Institute and vice chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. Dr. Sadovsky’s leadership as director of MWRI since 2007 helped it become the country’s largest research institute dedicated to women’s health and reproductive biology. An active search is underway for his successor. Pamela Moalli, MD, PhD has assumed the role of acting executive and scientific director of MWRI and the role of vice chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. We thank Dr. Sadovsky for his many years of leadership and welcome Dr. Moalli to her interim roles.
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