Spring 2024 Magee Matters

DEPARTMENT OF OB/GYN/RS

MAGEEMATTERS

Transforming the Future of Women’s Health and Reproductive Sciences

Leading the Way in Women’s Health

Our leaders exemplify the audacious, pioneering, and collaborative spirit of those who train here.

Dr. Nicole Donnellan

A MESSAGE FROM Dr. Robert Edwards

Magee-Womens Family,

As alumni of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, you likely already appreciate and can attest to how MageeWomens is leading the way and setting the bar for ob-gyn care. With another year of UPMC Magee-Womens named a High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, we continue to be recognized for our talented ob-gyn physicians, nurses, and staff who deliver the highest quality care and compassionate services to families locally and throughout our region.

Examples of this pioneering leadership abound, both within the walls of the hospital and across the street at Magee-Womens Research Institute. Take Dr. Nicole Donnellan, who personally launched a research biobank at Magee-Womens and eventually founded and currently leads the Center for Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain (p.3).

Or, consider the advent of the UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center (VCC), an innovative initiative that connects patients directly to specialists through a self-service scheduling portal. Led by Dr. Glenn Updike and Jennifer Chaney, the VCC has completed 3,000+ new patient consultations from all over the state of Pennsylvania since launch (p.8).

Of course, our longest-standing and oldest division, Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM), also continues to shine in its dynamic programs in clinical care, education, and research that serve key patient populations here in Pittsburgh and surrounding regions. Dr. Arun Jeyabalan has not only led the division through pandemic challenges, but has also worked to expand the MFM footprint through innovative programs that transcend Magee-Womens and push geographic boundaries of care delivery (p.4).

We could not continue to be leaders in ob-gyn without impactful figures like Diana Brucha, who after nearly 40 years with UPMC Magee-Womens, recently retired from her position as Director of Graduate Medical Education (GME) and steward of GME in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (p.10). Diana’s impressive tenure exhibited her deep commitment to the excellence and success of the department’s residency and fellowship training programs.

As a member of this community, we hope that you will stay connected with the latest happenings here at Magee-Womens and consider joining us at one of our alumni socials held at conferences and events throughout the year (p.15). You can also continue to support the program through the Steve Caritis Endowed Obstetrical Research Fund for Residents & Fellows, which encourages obstetrics research among trainees. Learn more about the fund and how to support it by contacting Jessica Rock at rockjj2@mwri.magee.edu or 412-641-4008. To stay updated on all things Magee-Womens, follow @MageeWomens on social media.

Thank you for being the leaders who exemplify the visionary and audacious spirit of all who train here at Magee-Womens — in your practices, communities, and daily lives.

Best regards,

Robert P. Edwards

Rolling Up Her Sleeves

Dr. Donnellan’s pioneering career at Magee-Womens

by

Dr. Nicole Donnellan’s journey at Magee-Womens traces back to 2006 when she walked through the doors of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital for the first time. There, at a hospital known for its world-class women’s health care, she got an up-close look at opportunities for advancing women’s health research — and decided to take them on herself.

After finishing medical school, Dr. Donnellan began her journey as a gynecologic surgeon and endometriosis advocate during her ob-gyn residency at UPMC Magee-Womens in 2006 and stayed to complete her minimally invasive gynecologic surgery fellowship in 2012. Because of the community at Magee-Womens, Dr. Donnellan became faculty to continue her pioneering work of supporting patients through clinical care and research ever since.

Since UPMC Magee-Womens sees many cases of endometriosis each year — a disease wherein the affected tissue must be removed, Dr. Donnellan saw an opportunity to bridge a critical gap in women’s health care and research. Those suffering from chronic pain and endometriosis were being treated, but their samples — which could hold the clues to treating other patients — were simply discarded.

“As a fellow, I knew how common endometriosis was, but I remember thinking, ‘We have all this tissue, but no research structure,’ ” she says.

Dr. Donnellan took it upon herself to change this narrative, spearheading the creation of a biobank — a repository that stores biological samples, like tissue.

“It was a labor of love that bridged the gap between clinical expertise and robust research infrastructure. I thought that maybe if I grassroots it, someone would want to use them — study them,” she adds. “I even hand-carried specimens over to Magee-Womens Research Institute to be frozen myself.”

In the initial stages, she collaborated with Dr. Richard Guido, a surgeon and translational research advocate. While the biobank was slow to start, taking 8 or 9 years to enroll 100 patients, it has now doubled in the last year.

But she didn’t stop there. In 2019, Dr. Donnellan founded the Center for Endometriosis and Chronic

Pelvic Pain, marking a notable addition to the hospital’s specialized services.

The center seeks to improve early diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis and other pelvic pain disorders through a three-pronged approach: a physical clinic with a multidisciplinary care model, research, and analytics — ensuring a holistic approach to endometriosis treatment and research, focused on improving quality of life.

Apart from her clinical work at UPMC MageeWomens, Dr. Donnellan is also part of the team behind the newly formed Hub for Endometriosis Research (HER), a research group centered around supporting and honoring the journeys of those affected by this painful disease, and those with chronic pelvic pain who are looking for answers. HER aims to ensure early detection and accurate diagnoses of women suffering from endometriosis by developing innovative treatment options through commercializable products.

Beyond her contributions to endometrial research, Dr. Donnellan is also mentor to trainees at UPMC Magee-Womens. Guiding future generations of surgeons through the challenging transition from trainee to seasoned professional, she views mentorship as her “retirement policy” in the making, as she envisions a legacy of skilled surgeons trailing after her, providing compassionate care for years to come.

“As alumni, we have made our mark. It is exciting to see people come back,” she adds.

Reflecting on her career, Dr. Donnellan says her premise for remaining at Magee-Womens lies in the people — the beating heart of the institution.

“Everyone at Magee knows each other. We are a family. We are equal. I have never felt alone — as a trainee, resident, or faculty ... My experience was second to none ... which is why I stayed for my residency and then became faculty,” she says. “Magee is a major tertiary care center. Even now as faculty, I feel strongly that the strength of the program is the high volume, the expertise, and the people — this is what Magee is about.”

Faith Jeffcoat

Working Together for Healthy Pregnancies

The UPMC Magee-Womens Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

by Gina Edwards

The mission of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital is to provide compassionate, evidencebased obstetrical care for patients with highrisk pregnancies often working in collaboration with their primary obstetrical providers. As one of the largest MFM Divisions in the country, the MFM Division at UPMC Magee-Womens also continues its established tradition of high-level scholarly and academic productivity, including educating all levels of learners and training future leaders in the field.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinical Programs

The MFM Division at UPMC Magee-Womens proudly offers state-of-the-art care from nationally and internationally recognized experts in management of high-risk pregnancies. Clinical services span the entirety of high-risk pregnancy care, including managing pre-existing and chronic underlying medical conditions during pregnancy; caring for patients with unexpected pregnancy complications; and diagnosing and managing fetal abnormalities such as growth problems, birth defects, and other complications that require fetal intervention/surgery during pregnancy. The MFM team works together toward the goal of healthy pregnancies by offering a multidisciplinary, collaborative, and patient-centered approach along with general obstetricians and other specialists.

With the shifts of a growing obesity epidemic and aging reproductive populations, the MFM Division’s clinical programs continue to expand to meet the needs of our region and include the Diabetes in Pregnancy program and the Postpartum Hypertension Program. The innovative postpartum remote blood pressure monitoring program has served to improve care after pregnancies complicated by a hypertensive disorder such as preeclampsia. The Division’s well-established telemedicine program prior to the COVID pandemic allowed a smooth transition without interruption of access to care during the COVID pandemic. Additionally, the telemedicine program has allowed for an expanded geographical presence and has reduced logistical barriers to care, which helps to address known drivers of health care disparities in our region.

“We didn’t skip a beat — we were already doing it,” says Dr. Arun Jeyabalan, Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division. “The new and improved platform allows for visits to occur through a cell phone interface and allows us to reach more people in rural and remote areas, as well as patients in challenging situations like lack of transportation or childcare. Ob-gyn ultrasound sites across the region have also ensured access to high-level OB care with our MFM physicians reading close to 90,000 scans over the past year alone.”

MFM perinatal outreach, including the Center for Innovative Fetal Intervention and the Center for Advanced Fetal Diagnostics, continues to have a wide clinical radius even reaching parts of New York, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia.

Educational Programs

The MFM Division is committed to training the future leaders in women’s health. The faculty members are actively involved in direct teaching and mentorship at multiple levels, including medical students, residents, fellows, and other students of the health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh.

Current educational programs in the MFM Division include the OB simulation programs for shoulder dystocia and hemorrhage, which are offered to all levels of obstetrical care providers with the goal of improving team-based care and patient safety.

The UPMC Magee-Womens MFM Division has recently expanded the shoulder dystocia program so colleagues at the UPMC Hospitals in Hamot, Altoona, Northwest, and Hermitage can benefit from this training.

“We are not just classically educating residents, fellows, and medical students, but rather centering all of our education efforts to the team-based approach. We invite practicing ob-gyn generalists, midwives, family practice providers, and OB nurses to our training programs. Our goal is to promote evidencebased best practices and optimize team dynamics and communication,” says Dr. Jeyabalan.

Research Programs & Future Efforts

The MFM Division continues to lead innovative clinical and translational research focused on improving reproductive health outcomes and has an established track record of collaborative research through multicenter studies and partnerships across disciplines.

“We’ve integrated research into clinical spaces so that it happens alongside all of our clinical activities.”

— Dr. Arun Jeyabalan

The MFM Division at UPMC Magee-Womens is part of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Network. The Division is a contributor to several multisite studies focused on diabetes in pregnancy, is partnered with industry to study preeclampsia biomarkers, and has other research collaborations with neurology and hematology. Additionally, initiatives such as the postpartum doula program and the Postpartum Hypertension Program have allowed the MFM Division to expand its work in the community through partnerships with grassroots organizations like Healthy Start. The UPMC Magee-Womens MFM

Division continues to be well-represented at national and international meetings such as the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Society of Reproductive Investigation, with faculty and fellows selected to present their research findings.

Looking to the future, Dr. Jeyabalan hopes to continue the current clinical, educational, and research programs of the Division and expand the MFM Division’s impact. She recognizes the talent and dedication of the Division’s faculty and acknowledges that the success of the Division are also a credit to the hardworking team of advanced practice providers, perinatal nurses, certified diabetes educators, and others who contribute to all of the Division’s clinical, educational, and research efforts.

“We are proud of the development and growth of our Division, including our efforts in navigating the pandemic successfully. We plan to continue to grow our faculty and programs to meet evolving patient needs,” Dr. Jeyabalan adds. “What we offer to our community and region is truly unique.”

STEVE CARITIS ENDOWED OBSTETRICS RESEARCH FUND FOR RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS

One way to support the MFM Division is through the Steve Caritis Endowed Obstetrics Research Fund for Residents & Fellows, which encourages obstetrics research among trainees. Learn more about the fund and how to support it by contacting Jessica Rock at rockjj2@mwri.magee.edu or 412-641-4008.

MFM FACULTY

Jacqueline Atlass, MD

Stacy Beck, MD

Anna Binstock, MD

Steve Caritis, MD

Tiffany Deihl, MD

Stephen Emery, MD

Francesca Facco, MD, MSci

Maisa Feghali, MD, MS

Rosemary Froehlich, MD

Alisse Hauspurg, MD

Arun Jeyabalan, MD, MS

David Kauffman, MD

Jacob Larkin, MD

Sami Makaroun, MD

Christina Megli, MD, PhD

Kristiina Parviainen, MD, MS

Christina Pisani, MD

Sarah Rogan, MD, PhD

Sara Sakamoto, MD, MS

Allison Serra, MD, MPH

Hy Simhan, MD, MS

Paul Speer, MD

Isabelle Wilkins, MD

Dr. Arun Jeyabalan

Hatching Innovative Care from the Comfort of Home

UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center

by Dr. Glenn Updike and Jennifer Chaney

Through the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Virtual Care Center, Pennsylvania residents may access care with UPMC Magee-Womens specialists through online scheduling of MyUPMC Video Visits. Using a smartphone or tablet, patients can connect with a Magee-Womens expert about their condition and explore treatment options.

The vision for the Virtual Care Center (VCC) arose through the Hatch Clinical Innovation team in the Women’s Health Service Line, led by Dr. Hy Simhan. The team works on improving care through technology and innovation, with a focus on virtual care, population health, and patient engagement. Like a mama bird to its egg, Hatch serves as an incubator for innovative ideas that need a bit of nurturing; it helps proposals grow, develop wings, and ultimately take flight.

Leaders of the Virtual VCC program at UPMC Magee-Womens, Dr. Glenn Updike, Medical Director for Clinical Informatics, Women’s Health Service Line, and Jennifer Chaney, Director, Women’s Health Service Line, offer an inside glimpse of the program’s creation, patient benefits, and future aspirations.

Why was the Virtual Care Center at UPMC Magee-Womens created?

Patients reported that there was too much friction in accessing the expert care that our service line provides. We wanted them to be able to schedule new consultations based on symptoms or diagnoses, rather than needing a referral or knowing exactly which provider manages their individual health concerns. To make the process as easy as possible for patients, the VCC incorporated self-scheduling online that allows patients to complete the initial consultation via MyUPMC Video Visits.

Our goal is for our team to take on the burden of navigating the health care system and create a concierge-type service to facilitate comprehensive care for our patients. This level of service is possible through the skills and expertise of our project manager Loren Berger; she takes amazing care of our patients.

Our goal is for our team to take on the burden of navigating the health care system and create a concierge-type service to facilitate comprehensive care for our patients.

When did the VCC roll out, and how has its reception been?

Starting in February 2021, we began rollout in nine subspecialities and added additional subspecialties throughout the year. Based on the success of our subspecialty experience, we launched our General Gynecology VCC in July 2022, and a Prenatal VCC in May 2023. We’ve also added additional clinics with support services for our patients, including lactation and social work. Dedicated Advanced Practice Providers see patients every day and are supported by Loren and our operational team.

We’ve completed 3,000+ new patient consultations from all over the state of Pennsylvania since launch. The General Gynecology program accounts for nearly 10% of all new patient encounters in our department, and the generalist programs now constitute around 60% of our VCC visits.

The Wolff Center at UPMC, the corporate quality department, conducted qualitative phone interviews with patients who completed a visit and found that most patients were very satisfied with their care and would recommend the VCC to a friend. Patients acknowledged the ease of scheduling online, satisfaction with same-day availability, and the flexibility of completing these consultations via video visit. Provider responses to the VCC have also been extremely positive, as visits are scheduled into their normal clinical days.

What plans do you have for the future of the VCC?

Navigating health care systems can be hard for patients. It’s important that we develop models of access that acknowledge that challenge for patients and deconstruct barriers to access that do not add value. Change is never easy, and as we began planning the VCC, some were concerned that patients would schedule for inappropriate reasons or with the wrong type of specialist. With thousands of completed visits now, we haven’t found that to be the case; in fact, we’ve learned patients are very good at selfscheduling with the providers they need.

We encourage Magee-Womens alumni to take a deep look at the access processes at their own organizations and explore new strategies to reduce unnecessary friction for their patients. In the future, we are eager to continue to grow the reach of the MageeWomens Virtual Care Center and expand the list of services we provide.

Dr. Glenn Updike Jennifer Chaney

Honoring Diana Brucha’s Career in Women’s Health Care at Magee-Womens

by Gina Edwards

“I have zero doubt that Diana Brucha is the best program manager in any specialty in the country. Diana has been such an incredible partner in the relentless improvement of our residency and fellowships. Her creativity and gogo-go approach to this profession have resulted in incredible excellence. Her work means that tens of thousands of patients benefit from the outstanding care of Magee graduates for decades to come. I am so honored to have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with her and will never forget her awesomeness!”

— Dr. Gabriella Gosman, Vice President of Medical Affairs for UPMC Magee, Professor and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Diana Brucha’s career as the Director of Graduate Medical Education (GME) and steward of GME in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital deserves celebration. With dedication and expertise spanning decades, Diana has been instrumental in shaping the future of hundreds of residents and fellows who have gone on to lead, advance science, innovate, educate, and care for thousands of women.

Throughout her tenure, Diana has exhibited deep commitment to the excellence and success of the department’s residency and fellowship training programs. Her creativity, intelligence, meticulous attention to detail, unparalleled organizational skills, and compassionate nature have earned her the respect and admiration of colleagues, trainees, faculty, and everyone privileged to work with her.

Diana’s unwavering support of the residents and fellows has been instrumental in fostering a learning environment conducive to professional development, ensuring that trainees receive the highest quality education, resources, and mentorship necessary to achieve their personal career goals.

Under Diana’s watch, the programs at UPMC Magee-Womens have consistently attracted top talent and gained national recognition. Her expertise in managing the progressively complex coordination of GME programs has streamlined processes and improved efficiency at UPMC Magee-Womens and programs across the country where her legacy will endure.

Reflecting on her time at UPMC Magee-Womens, Diana shared some of her personal story, special memories, and plans for retirement.

How did you get started in your role at UPMC Magee-Womens?

Way back in the summer of 1984, I walked into Doctor Caritis’ office to interview for a position as a medical secretary/receptionist in the department. At that time, the department had a very small number of faculty, and my responsibilities were to answer the department’s main phone number, transcribe patient chart dictations, and provide administrative support to Dr. Kathleen McIntyre-Seltman, who was the most junior faculty in the department. (My most challenging task in those early days was to learn to spell faculty names and learn who was whom!) Shortly after starting and getting settled into life at UPMC MageeWomens, my manager informed me that she was leaving; this change started my lifelong journey into the world of graduate medical education, or GME.

In addition to my role in the residency and fellowship programs, during my nearly 40 years at UPMC MageeWomens and UPMC, I have held various job titles and additional responsibilities, including:

• Faculty Contracts, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

• Grand Rounds Conference/CME Coordinator

• Ob-gyn Outreach Lecture Series Coordinator

• Course Coordinator, Fourth-Year Medical Student Clerkship, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

• Course Coordinator, Third-Year Medical Student Clerkship, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

• Receptionist/Medical Secretary for the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Services, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

What has been your favorite part about working here?

My favorite part of working here has been the people — not only those in the department but throughout the hospital. For me, UPMC Magee-Womens has always felt like a community hospital where “everyone knows your name!” This culture was one of the selling points that I discussed with applicants to our training programs. The wonderful physicians and staff members really do become a part of your work family, and the love here is one of the reasons I stayed so long.

I stay in touch with and follow the career paths of our graduates who have both stayed and moved on. I am still amazed to this day at their accomplishments as they continually move women’s health care to the next level. I hope that our alumni and staff can recall

their time at UPMC Magee-Womens and remember at least one interaction with me where I was able to help them in some way and that this brings a smile to their faces. My goal in life and in my career has always been to go above and beyond to assist people in whatever way I can, and I hope that I have been successful. My upbringing in a large Italian family has instilled my love and importance of famiglia, and I hope that our alumni always feel the love of their UPMC Magee-Womens family and me!

Do any moments or memories stand out from your career?

What’s next for you?

There are so many memories that I will cherish but the one I hold the dearest to my heart is when Dr. Gabriella Gosman, former program director of the residency, and I were both selected as winners of national awards from The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for our contributions to resident education. The honor of winning an annual ACGME award is a huge privilege and honor in and of itself, but to receive it the same year as she did was icing on the cake.

The presentation of our awards was at the March 2020 ACGME annual meeting in San Diego. I vividly recall the opening remarks, including a lighthearted announcement that we should refrain from handshaking to reduce the spread of COVID, which was making its way through the U.S.

Once I returned home, there were more restrictions in place, including the need for me to wait a week before I could visit my mom. She ended up passing away a few days after my return and was interred the same day that the world shut down due to the pandemic. This time became the most challenging time of my career as I dealt with the grief of losing my mother (my rock); having to work from home; watching how the pandemic was affecting our residents, faculty, and other frontline health care workers; having no face-to-face interactions with anyone except my loving and devoted husband and dog; and the unknown of the pandemic.

These back-to-back experiences really cemented the highs and lows of life for me, which was a pivotal point in my decision to retire as soon as things got back to “normal.” I’m not sure if we will ever get back to pre-COVID “normal,” but for me, it is time to move on and travel the world with my husband Kevin, the other rock in my life! Peace and love.

Pictured left: Chelsea Boocks, Fellowship Manager, Diana (center), and Michele (Missy) Nix, Academic Manager, Residency Program Pictured right: Kristiina E. Parviainen, MD, MS, Director, Ob/Gyn Residency Program, and Diana at Pittsburgh Penguins Game – Spring 2023

Diana & Gabriella G. Gosman, MD

Resident Graduates

Emily Carbaugh, MD

Faculty, UPMC Magee-Womens Specialty Services, UPMC Northwest, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences

Rachel Dang, MD Faculty, Jacoby Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Kymberly Forsyth, MD Faculty, Moses Cone Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Emily MacArthur, MD Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Christine McGough, MD Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

Nicole Meckes, MD

Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Praveen Ramesh, MD MFM Fellowship, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Kristin Romutis, MD Faculty, UPMC Magee-Womens Specialty Services, UPMC Northwest, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences

Selma Su, MD Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Fellow Graduates

Gynecologic Oncology

Alison Aunkst Garrett, MD Gynecologic Oncologist, Billings Clinic Cancer Center

Taylor J. Orellana, MD Assistant Professor, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Gynecologic Oncology

Complex Family Planning

Monica L. Kao, MD MPH

Assistant Professor, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, Department of OB/GYN/RS

Family Medicine – Obstetrics

Sophia Tsiris Kunkle, MD, MBS Family Physician/Obstetrician, Primary Health Network, Family Medicine & Obstetrics

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Malinda R. Schaefer, MD PhD Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Tiffany Lingmei Wang, MD Physican, MultiCare Health System, Tacoma, WA, Department of MaternalFetal Medicine

Aalok Rajen Sanjanwala, MD, MFM Physician, Regional Obstetrics Consultant, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery

Marina O. Guirguis Hanna, MD Urogynecologist, Inova Medical Group, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Alexandra I. Melnyk, MD, MEd Associate Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Department of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery

Eung-Mi Lee, MD MBA Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

Sally Fitzgerald Vitez, MD Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Physician, Shady Grove Fertility

Monica Schointuch, MD Reproductive Endocrinology

New Hires

Alexandra Collyer 5/1/23, Womancare South

Eric Lantzman 5/1/23, Academic Gyn

Natasha Singh 6/1/23, Horizon

Sabrina Smith 6/12/23, Horizon

Alexander Hughes 8/17/23, Academic OB

Alison Garret 8/1/23, Gyn Oncology

Matthew Tuck 8/1/23, Academic OB

Kara Peterson 8/15/23, Academic OB-GYN

Aaron Campbell 9/1/23, Academic OB

Emily Carbaugh 9/1/23, Northwest

Sarah Davis 9/1/23, Horizon

Erin Gavin 9/1/23, GPOB

Monica Kao 9/1/23, Academic Gyn

Sunita Katari 9/1/23, REI

Alessandra Lamari 9/1/23, Womancare North

Cassandra Roldan 9/1/23, Horizon

Kristin Romutis 9/1/23, Northwest

Ali McGregor 10/1/23, Academic OB

Fen Guo 11/1/23, Genetics

Resident Awards

Resident Society & Procedural Skills Awards

Society for Gynecologic Oncology Residency Award

Margaret Flanigan, MD

Ryan Program Resident Award for Excellence in Family Planning Molly Eckman, MD

MWH Junior Resident Award for Excellence in Family Planning

Matthew Tessmer, MD

AAGL Special Excellence in Endoscopic Procedures

Isabel Janmey, MD

SLS Outstanding Laparoendoscopic Resident Rachel Dang, MD

AUGS Award for Excellence in FPMRA Brigid Mumford, MD

NASPAG Outstanding Resident Award Sarah Smith, MD

Society of Reproductive & Infertility: The Golden Embryo Award Nicole Fischer, MD

Society of Generalist Hospitalists Resident Award Sarah Smith, MD

SASGOG Resident Award Sarah Bennett, MD

Best General OB Skills by an Intern Kristiana Mclarty, MD

SMFM Resident Award for Excellence in OB Alexa Morrison, MD

ASCCP Resident Award Emily Carbaugh, MD

Spirit of a Midwife Resident Award Kymberly Forsyth, MD

Resident Departmental Awards

William R. Crombleholme Excellence in Training Award

The Margaret Scearce Compassionate Care Award

Isabel Janmey, MD, MPH

Dr. Morris Turner Procedural Teaching/Guidance Award

Emily Carbaugh, MD - Certificate

Resident Research Day Awards

The Marvin C. Rulin Award

Lauren Sutherland, MD

Title: Postpartum Perception of Risk and Risk Modification in Patients with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Mentor: Alisse Hauspurg, MD

Faculty & Fellow Teaching Awards by Resident

CREOG National Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education

Dr. Richard Guido

OPC Faculty Teaching Award

Dr. Erin Rhinehart

SASGOG Faculty Teaching Award

Dr. Malay Sheth

Wayne A. Christoperson, MD Teaching Award

Dr. Kathleen McIntyre-Seltman

GYN Fellow Teaching Awards

Dr. Eung-Mi Lee

Dr. Carrie Bennett

OB Fellow Teaching Award

Dr. Jennifer de Groot

Faculty Award by Medical Students

2023 APGO

Excellence in Teaching Award

Madeleine Courtney-Brooks, MD

Residents Teaching Awards by Medical Students

Belita Opene, MD

Alexa Morrison, MD, MPH

Sarah Bennett, MD

Praveen Ramesh, MD

Fellows Teaching Awards by Medical Students

Susan Folsom, MD

Laura Brubaker, MD

Sarah Bennett, MD Resident

Richard Guido, MD Faculty

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology Receives Quality Award

We are proud to announce that UPMC’s Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology (CFRE) was a recipient of a BLAST award from Fairfax Eggbank. Fairfax Eggbank is a U.S.-based international distributor of frozen donor eggs. The IVF lab received an Outstanding Outcomes award during the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s 2023 Scientific Congress & Expo in New Orleans.

The IVF lab achieved this award for meeting Fairfax’s key quality indicators. To be considered for this award, the IVF lab must meet strict criteria for egg survival rates, fertilization rates, embryo development rates, and creating a high number of cases with two or more embryos from frozen donor oocytes. Out of 450 clinics using Fairfax Eggbank, the CFRE was one of 10 recipients of this BLAST award! Thank you to every member of our laboratory team for their consistent hard work and commitment to delivering top-notch care for our IVF patients.

American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS)

October 5, 2023, Portland, OR

Hosting Physician - Dr. Pam Moalli

American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL)

November 6, 2023, Nashville, TN

Hosting Physicians - Dr. Nicole Donnellan and Dr. Sarah Allen

Upcoming Events

Alumni Dinner Reception and Alumni Day

Dinner Reception

October 24, 2024, Pittsburgh Golf Club

Alumni Day

October 25, 2024, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Auditorium

*Magee Alumni Residents & Fellows Gathering

American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)

80th ASRM Scientific Congress & Expo October 19-23, 2024, Denver, CO

News

UPMC Magee-Womens

Named one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

The U.S. News & World Report named the 2024 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care — including UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. U.S. News evaluated nearly 680 hospitals, an all-time high, that provide labor and delivery services. Fewer than half of all hospitals that offer maternity care and participated in the survey received a High Performing designation.

UPMC Magee-Womens Named “Birthing-Friendly”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created the “Birthing-Friendly” designation to identify hospitals and health systems that participate in a statewide or national perinatal quality improvement collaborative program and that implement evidence-based care to improve maternal health. UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital was one of 14 UPMC hospitals that received this designation.

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Help us keep you informed! Please join our email list to stay up to date on the great things happening at Magee-Womens. To get on the list, email Jessica Rock, rockjj2@ mwri.magee.edu or call 412-641-4008

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

@MageeWomens

@mageeobgynresidency

@MWHObGynAlumni

GIVE BACK TO MAGEE-WOMENS

Support world-class research and critical patient care at MageeWomens by donating to the Women’s Health Impact Fund. Thank you for helping us transform women’s lives today — and for generations to come.

MageeWomens.org

REGISTER NOW

November 13-14, 2024 Pittsburgh, PA