This two-year fellowship program in pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery:
- Accepts two urology or urogynecology residents a year that have graduated from an ACGME-accredited urology or gynecology program
- Is accredited by both the Joint Commission of the American Boards of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Society for Female Urology and Urodynamics
Goals and Objectives
Our goal is to train the future leaders in the field of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Fellows are taught the surgical and methodological skills to become highly-skilled pelvic surgeons and independent scientist/investigators.
Fellows will experience intensive and broad-based clinical, surgical, and research experiences with progressive responsibility during the two-year training program.
Because Cleveland Clinic is recognized as an international referral center and is respected for its research initiatives, fellows will obtain in-depth experience in clinical and investigative work that will enable them to pursue productive academic career in the specialty.
The specific objectives of the fellowship training program are to:
- Train sub-specialists in the areas of pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery including female urology, lower urinary tract dysfunction, female and male pelvic floor reconstructive surgery, urodynamics, clinical epidemiology, basic science investigations, and writing of scientific proposals, grants and manuscripts.
- Enhance the quality of patient care in the area of pelvic medicine and surgery using a scientific approach to the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Program Structure
Clinical training
Fellows at the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute will train in the nation’s largest urological program, which is comprised of more than 69 physicians and scientists.
More than 22,000 surgical procedures and more than 1400 urodynamic studies were performed in 2007 alone. Fellows will have an opportunity to train in one of the most advanced surgical units in the country with over 65 operating rooms in our main hospital and additional operating room suites in our three outpatient, suburban surgical centers.
The core staff consists of four fellowship-trained urologists specializing in pelvic medicine and surgery and one Ph.D. urologist with special interests in urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, male reconstructive surgery, neurourology, robotic and laparoscopic surgery, and urethral reconstruction.
The current staff of the fellowship program include:
- Margot Damaser, PhD
- Howard B. Goldman, MD
- Courtenay K. Moore, MD
- Raymond R. Rackley, MD
- Sandip Vasavada, MD
In the first year, fellows spend 80 percent of their time on clinical rotations, participating in outpatient clinics and surgical procedures. Fellows also have rotations with faculty in urogynecology, colorectal surgery, and elective rotations in advanced laparoscopy and male reconstructive surgery. The remaining 20 percent of a fellow’s time is protected research time. During the research portion of the fellowship, fellows learn the fundamentals of research, select an area of interest in research and a mentor, and formulate research projects.
During the second year, fellows focus on research topics formulated during their first year, while fine tuning their surgical and diagnostic skills.
Surgical training
The program offers exposure to a wide spectrum of female and male surgical procedures. On average fellows perform a total of 300 surgeries per year. These surgeries include:
- Female and male incontinence
- Female pelvic organ prolapse repairs
- Open abdominal reconstructive surgery
- Male reconstructive surgery
- Laparoscopic and robotic pelvic reconstructive surgery
Didactic
Fellows participate in the following didactic activities:
- Book club
- Journal club
- Basic science lectures
- Urodynamic conference
- Joint Center of FPM&RS meetings with Urogynecology and Colorectal Surgery which includes journal club, case presentations, and research studies.
In addition, fellows also attend courses in biostatistics and clinical epidemiology.
Research
A unique aspect of the fellowship program is its emphasis on ensuring that all fellows receive solid training and practice in clinical and basic research. During their first year of training, fellows will develop a portfolio of clinical and basic science research projects. During their second year of training, fellows spend 80 percent of their time in research-related activities.
Fellows will have the opportunity to work with scientists specializing in animal models of urinary incontinence, lower urinary tract disorders, neurogenic bladder, neuromodulation, urothelial biology, stem cell research and animal knock-out models.
Since 2002, the fellows have initiated and participated in over 75 IRB approved clinical and IACUC approved laboratory studies.
Academic Productivity of the Fellows
As part of the fellowship training, fellows are mentored in designing and writing strong protocols for clinical or laboratory research projects, authoring peer-reviewed and invited publication, and presentations of abstracts at the national and international scientific meetings.
Below are several examples of our fellows' past academic achievements:
- Scholarship funding from the American Foundation for Urological Disease (AFUD), 2005-2007
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Fellowship grant for 2005-2007
- June Allyson Foundation award in 2004
- American Urogynecological Society Traveling Award in 2004
- American Urological Association Traveling Award in 2003
For additional information regarding this fellowship please contact:
Courtenay K. Moore, MD
Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave Q10-1
Cleveland, OH 44195
(216) 444-8043
moorec6@ccf.org