Residency

Wagar matches into Gynecologic Oncology fellowship at University of Wisconsin

The UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology is excited to announce that Matthew Wagar, MD, PGY-4, matched as our 2022 Gynecologic Oncology fellow! Wagar earned his MD at the University of Minnesota, and is currently completing ob-gyn residency in our department. The Gyn Onc team was impressed with his passion for medical education and commitment to providing excellent pat... more
Gynecologic Oncology Education Residency Fellowship Matthew Wagar

Patel matches into FPMRS fellowship at University of Wisconsin

We’re so thrilled to announce that Ushma Patel, MD, PGY-4 will stick around after finishing residency to be the second Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery fellow! Patel received her MD from Loyola University and has been completing her ob-gyn residency with us at the University of Wisconsin. The FPMRS team is impressed with her dedication to the field and fierc... more
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Education Residency Fellowship Ushma Patel

Grand Rounds: Ward presents “Traumatic Birth Experience and Perinatal PTSD”

On August 26, 2021, UW Ob-Gyn resident Jordan Ward, MD, PGY-4 presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Traumatic Birth Experience and Perinatal PTSD.” In the lecture, Ward defined traumatic birth and perinatal PTSD, identified risk factors, described long-term consequences from the experience, and proposed strategies to prevent traumatic birth experiences. Watch the whole lecture... more
Education Residency Grand Rounds Jordan Ward

Wetterhahn and Spencer discuss rural residency with TMJ4 in Milwaukee

Access to ob-gyn health care in rural Wisconsin has trended downward over the last couple decades. In this interview with WTMJ-TV Milwaukee, UW Ob-Gyn Residency Program Director Ryan Spencer, MD discusses the motivation behind creating the first rural ob-gyn residency training track in the country.In “UW Health hopes to curb rural Wisconsin’s OBGYN shortage”, UW Ob-Gyn rural... more
Education Residency Madeline Wetterhahn Ryan Spencer

Wagar published in Journal of Nursing Education and Practice

UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-4 is the lead author on a quality improvement study published in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice!Accurate maternal blood pressure measurements are important for diagnosing hypertension problems, making treatment plans, and more. “Obtaining an accurate maternal blood pressure: A quality improvement initiative to improve nur... more
Education Publication Research Residency Matthew Wagar

Save the Dates: UW Ob-Gyn 2022 Research Events

Save the dates for three UW Department of Ob-Gyn research events in 2022:February 24, 2022 - Resident Research DayFeaturing a keynote presentation by Lisa Hollier, MD, MPH, professor of ob-gyn at Baylor College of Medicine and former president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Resident research presentations by PGY-4 residents John Poehlmann, MD, an... more
Gynecologic Oncology Maternal-Fetal Medicine Reproductive and Population Health Education Research Residency Fellowship Events Collaborative for Reproductive Equity Jenny Higgins Jennifer Jacobson Laura Jacques Ushma Patel Daniel Pellicer John Poehlmann Shannon Rush Vienna Tran Matthew Wagar Jordan Ward

Grand Rounds: Lowry presents “The History of Paid Family Leave”

On December 9, 2021, UW Ob-Gyn resident Alexa Lowry, MD, PGY-4 presented the Grand Rounds lecture “The History of Paid Family Leave.”In the lecture, Lowry defined maternity, paternity, and parental leave; compared parental leave policies in the United States to countries around the world; evaluated the benefits of parental leave; and explained the current state of paid paren... more
Education Residency Grand Rounds Diversity Equity Inclusion Alexa Lowry

Brown, Williams featured at national conference on dissemination and implementation in health

Two faculty from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn were featured at the 14th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (D&I), co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and AcademyHealth. Congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists Director Makeba Williams, MD and Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Residency Research Brown Research Team Heidi Brown Alexandra Andes Makeba Williams

Spencer appointed as central hub leader for THCGME grant

UW Ob-Gyn Residency Program Director Ryan Spencer, MD, has been appointed as the Central Hub Leader for the Teaching Health Center Technical Assistance Center. In this role, he will oversee the development of new residency programs in Teaching Health Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the ... more
Education Residency Ryan Spencer

Mojdehbakhsh’s abstract selected for presentation at SGS Conference

​Huge congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn resident Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD, PGY-3! Mojdehbakhsh’s abstract “Efficacy and Safety of Institution-Wide Restrictive Blood Transfusion Protocol in Gynecologic Surgical Patients” was selected for an oral poster presentation at the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons’ upcoming annual meeting.Mojdehbakhsh will present during the SGS 48th Annual S... more
Education Residency Rachel Mojdehbakhsh

Rural residency (and first graduate) featured on Minneapolis news

In June 2021, Laura McDowell, MD became the first graduate of the first rural ob-gyn residency program in the country when she finished her residency training in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. Following graduation, McDowell moved to Willmar, Minnesota to join a general ob-gyn practice.Her experience as a rural ob-gyn physician is highlighted in this story from KSTP in Minneapo... more
Education Residency Ryan Spencer

Spencer appointed as hub lead for HRSA Rural Residency Program Development Center

UW Ob-Gyn Residency Program Director Ryan Spencer, MD, has been appointed to be the Central Hub Lead for the Rural Residency Program Development Technical Assistance Center (RRPD-TAC). The RRPD-TAC is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).The grant provides $4.6 million of total funding over four years.... more
Education Residency Gynecologic Oncology Ryan Spencer

UW-Madison Department of Ob-Gyn thanks rural training partners on National Rural Health Day

As the state of Wisconsin celebrates National Rural Health Day on November 18, 2021, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology would like to thank the physicians and partners across Wisconsin who are training future ob-gyn physicians in rural practice.The UW–Madison Department of Ob-Gyn created the first rural ob-gyn residency training track... more
Education Residency Alexa Lowry Jackie Luthardt Ryan Spencer Madeline Wetterhahn

Rural ob-gyn disparities and UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency featured in Appleton Post Crescent

An in-depth article in the Appleton Post Crescent examines the gaps in rural ob-gyn care in Wisconsin, outlines why the UW Department of Ob-Gyn created the first rural residency training track in the country, and demonstrates how innovations in Wisconsin are rippling out throughout the Midwest - in the form of a rural ob-gyn residency at the University of Iowa. The article ... more
Education Residency Diversity Equity Inclusion

Antony and residency grad Meyer published in Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine

Katie Antony, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Melissa Meyer, MD, 2021 UW Ob-Gyn residency graduate, co-authored a new article in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. In “A standardized post-cesarean analgesia regimen reduces postpartum opioid use”, Antony and Meyer evaluated a standardized protocol of pain medications after C-sect... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Residency Education Publication Kathleen Antony

Wagar published in Gynecologic Oncology

UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-4 published an article in a recent edition of Gynecologic Oncology! In “Postoperative venous thromboembolism in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery: Does modality matter?”, Wagar and co-authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent gynecologic cancer surgery at UW between 2... more
Residency Education Research Gynecologic Oncology Matthew Wagar

Brown, Williams edit book on older women’s health

What happens when two world-class experts on menopause and pelvic floor disorders work together? They literally write the book on older women’s health concerns. Heidi Brown, MD, MAS, of our Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, and Makeba Williams, MD, Director of our Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, edited the book “Challenges in Older W... more
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Publication Residency Education Heidi Brown Makeba Williams Laura Bozzuto

What’s next for the UW Ob-Gyn Resident Class of 2021

The UW Ob-Gyn resident class of 2021 will graduate on June 24, 2021. Please join us in congratulating them on four exceptional years of training, and wishing them all the best as they depart for the next stages of their careers!​ EMILY BUTTIGIEG, MD Where will you be going and what will you be doing after UW Ob-Gyn? I am staying on as faculty with UW for a year while my fian... more
Residency Education Emily Buttigieg

Rivas’ resident research published in Contraception

Before graduating from the UW Ob-Gyn residency in 2020, Kali Rivas, MD focused her resident research project on whether resident physicians in Wisconsin are trained in immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Her study is now published in Contraception! Amy Godecker, PhD, Heidi Brown, MD, MAS, and Nicholas Schmuhl, PhD, co-authored the article. In t... more
Research Publication Residency Education Heidi Brown Amy Godecker

McDowell makes history as first rural ob-gyn residency grad in country

Later this month, UW Ob-Gyn resident Laura McDowell, MD, PGY-4 will make medical history when she becomes the first graduate from the first rural ob-gyn residency training program in the country. Numerous news outlets in the area have covered McDowell’s accomplishment. Watch or read about this momentous UW Ob-Gyn residency occasion: Caring for Rural Women: UW doctor comple... more
Residency Education

McDowell to present on rural health at UW Wednesday Nite @ the Lab

UW Ob-Gyn resident Laura McDowell, MD, PGY-4 will present the lecture “Rural Medical Training: The Stats, The Need, The Future” for UW–Madison Science Outreach’s Wednesday Nite @ the Lab series on Wednesday, June 9 at 7:00pm. Wednesday Nite @ the Lab is a free outreach event designed to share university research and developments with the public. This Wisconsin Idea project ... more
Outreach Residency Education

Spencer presents on rural health at ACOG annual meeting

At the virtual 2021 ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, UW Ob-Gyn Residency Program Director Ryan Spencer, MD joined a panel of experts to discuss rural health. During the clinical seminar, Spencer discussed the importance of supporting pipelines to bring ob-gyns to rural areas, and of building clinical partnerships between rural and urban practices to facilitate l... more
Gynecologic Oncology Education Residency Ryan Spencer

Grand Rounds: Laura McDowell presents “Rural Medical Training: The Stats, The Need, The Future”

UW Ob-Gyn resident Laura McDowell, MD, PGY-4 will be the first person to graduate from the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency Training Program, the first program in the nation to offer specific training for rural women's health. On April 29, 2021, McDowell presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Rural Medical Training: The Stats, The Need, The Future”. In the lecture, McDowell outlined ... more
Residency Education Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds: Huang presents “Caring for our Hmong Patients: Intersection of Culture and Western Medicine”

Wisconsin has the third-largest Hmong population in the United States. For her Grand Rounds lecture, UW Ob-Gyn resident Dandi Huang, MD, PGY-4 presented “Caring for our Hmong Patients: Intersection of Culture and Western Medicine”. In her presentation, Huang shared some history of Hmong migration to the U.S., discussed unique aspects of Hmong culture in relation to health, ... more
Education Residency Grand Rounds Diversity Equity Inclusion Dandi Huang

Wang presents oral abstract at SGO 2021 virtual conference

During the 2021 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, UW Ob-Gyn resident Connor Wang, MD, PGY-2 presented an oral abstract! Wang presented the abstract “Cancer lethality: An important burden metric to consider for the allocation of clinical trial research funding from all sources” during a session on Sunday, March 21: “GYN cancers have significa... more
Residency Education Connor Wang

Match Day 2021: Welcome the UW Ob-Gyn resident class of 2025

Another successful Match Day is in the books! It is our great pleasure to introduce the UW Ob-Gyn resident class of 2025. These amazing future ob-gyns will join us in Wisconsin this summer – please help us welcome them to our department! John Gravelle University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine Jackie Luthardt Rural Track Michigan State University Coll... more
Residency Education

Patel published in International Journal of Surgery Case Reports

A case study by UW Ob-Gyn resident (and future UW Ob-Gyn Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery fellow) Ushma Patel, MD, PGY-3 was published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports. Christine Heisler, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of FPMRS co-authored the case study. “Enterocele manifesting as recurrent anterior rectal prolapse: A case report” outlin... more
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Publication Residency Education Ushma Patel

Wagar published in Green Journal

In a new publication in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-3 compared operative outcomes of postpartum tubal ligation and bilateral salpingectomy. Co-authors on the article include UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists Director Makeba Williams, MD, and Amy Godecker, PhD. The retrospective study “Postpartum Salpingectomy Compar... more
Residency Education Research Publication Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Matthew Wagar Makeba Williams Amy Godecker

Poehlmann and Tran selected as 2021-22 chief residents

Our congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn residents John Poehlmann, MD and Vienna Tran, MD! Currently in their third year of residency, Poehlmann and Tran have been selected to serve as Administrative Chief Residents in the coming year. Poehlmann and Tran will take the reins from PGY-4 residents Ramsey Larson, MD and Stephanie Peace, MD. After a transition period starting March 1, t... more
Residency Education Vienna Tran John Poehlmann

UW Ob-Gyn brings research, developments to 2021 SMFM Conference

Faculty, residents, fellows, researchers and more brought numerous posters and presentations to the virtual 2021 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting at the end of January! Learn more about the wealth of research shared by our colleagues at the conference: PRESENTATION: Racial disparities in post-operative pain experience and treatment following cesarean birt... more
Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Residency Fellowship Diversity Equity Inclusion Jacquelyn Adams Kathleen Antony Bradley Bosse Luther Gaston Amy Godecker Tiffany Green Kara Hoppe J. Igor Iruretagoyena Alexa Lowry John Poehlmann Jenna Racine Janine Rhoades Matthew Wagar

Mojdehbakhsh published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports

A quality improvement study by lead author Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD, PGY-2, was published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports. Co-authors include Stephen Rose, MD, Megan Peterson, DNP, Laurel Rice, MD, and Ryan Spencer, MD, all of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in early 2020, industry organizations like the National C... more
Residency Education Gynecologic Oncology Publication Stephen Rose Megan Peterson Ryan Spencer Laurel Rice Rachel Mojdehbakhsh

UW Ob-Gyn posters and presentations coming up at SGO Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer

The agenda for the virtual Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s 2021 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, coming up in March, is available, and UW Ob-Gyn faculty and trainees will have an extensive presence at the conference. We're proud of the broad variety of research our team will bring to the event! “Cannabidiol: Assessing Activity in Ovarian and Endometrial Carcinoma Cell Li... more
Gynecologic Oncology Education Research Residency Fellowship Diversity Equity Inclusion

Grand Rounds: Badger Bytes on opioids and women’s health

On Thursday, January 7, a multidisciplinary group presented Badger Bytes Grand Rounds lectures as part of the presentation “The Multiple Dimensions of Opioid Use for Women’s Health.” The session was moderated by UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive and Population Health Director Deborah Ehrenthal, MD, MPH. Erin Nacev, MD/MPH student in the UW SMPH started off with “Prenatal O... more
Ehrenthal Research Team Reproductive and Population Health Residency Education Gynecologic Oncology Grand Rounds Deborah Ehrenthal Emily Buttigieg Lisa Barroilhet

Grand Rounds: Meyer presents “Navigating the Pandemic: COVID-19 on Labor and Delivery”

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 drastically affected health care provision this year. At UW Ob-Gyn Grand Rounds on December 17, 2020, UW Ob-Gyn resident Melissa Meyer, MD, PGY-4 discussed some of the ways care changed in the lecture “Navigating the Pandemic: COVID-19 on Labor and Delivery​”. In her lecture, Meyer provided an overview of COVID and pregnancy, discussed changes ... more
Education Residency Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds: Larson presents “Waste within the Healthcare System: How Your Actions Impact Patients, Providers, and the Planet”

On December 3, 2020, UW Ob-Gyn resident Ramsey Larson, MD, PGY-4 presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Waste within the Healthcare System: How Your Actions Impact Patients, Providers, and the Planet”. In her presentation, Larson shared trends in health care spending and utilization in the U.S. and throughout the world; identified areas of waste in the U.S. health care system;... more
Education Residency Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds: Buttigieg presents “From Schoolhouse Rock to Modern Day Politics: Applying Childhood Lessons to Practical Advocacy Strategies in Women’s Health”

On November 12, 2020, UW Ob-Gyn resident Emily Buttigieg, MD, PGY-4 presented the Grand Rounds lecture “From Schoolhouse Rock to Modern Day Politics: Applying Childhood Lessons to Practical Advocacy Strategies in Women’s Health​.” In the presentation, Buttigieg provided essential background for anyone interested in incorporating advocacy into their work. She outlined the pr... more
Grand Rounds Education Residency Emily Buttigieg

Patel selected as 2022 FPMRS fellow!

The UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, and FPMRS Fellowship Director Christine Heisler, MD, are thrilled to announce that Ushma Patel, MD will join us as our second FPMRS fellow in July 2022! Patel is currently a PGY-3 resident in our department. Patel attended Marquette University for her undergraduate degree, and earned her MS from th... more
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Residency Fellowship Education Ushma Patel

Wagar to bring poster to 2021 virtual APGO/CREOG meeting

UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-3 will bring the poster “Degree of Agreement Between Resident and Faculty Procedural Assessments Using MyTIPreport” to the 2021 APGO/CREOG virtual meeting in March. Wagar's poster is just one of many reasons to consider registering for the conference. Congratulations, Dr. Wagar!
Residency Education Research Matthew Wagar

Department gearing up for exciting SMFM conference

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s Annual Pregnancy Meeting is coming up in January 2021, and the UW Department of Ob-Gyn is ready to impress! Residents Melissa Meyer, MD, PGY-4, Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-3, and Stephanie Peace, MD, PGY-4 all have accepted posters at the conference. John Poehlmann, MD, PGY-3 will present an oral abstract. Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellows Br... more
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Residency Fellowship

Grand Rounds: Peace presents “From Ebola to Covid-19: Lessons on Obstetric Care During a Global Pandemic”

Can lessons from the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak be applied to maternal health care in COVID-19? UW Ob-Gyn resident Stephanie Peace, MD, PGY-4 discussed in a recent UW Ob-Gyn Grand Rounds lecture. In the presentation “From Ebola to COVID-19: Lessons on Obstetric Care During a Global Pandemic”, Peace used the two case studies to examine obstetric care and maternal health in a g... more
Education Grand Rounds Residency

Rural Residency earns DHS rural health care grant

Incredible news out of the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency track! The program was awarded a Wisconsin Department of Health Services Grant for Rural GME Training. Residency Program Director Ryan Spencer, MD, will serve as PI on the grant. The DHS grants are intended to “increase access and enhance quality care in rural Wisconsin” by supporting education and training to help ru... more
Education Residency Ellen Hartenbach Jody Silva Ryan Spencer

Huang matches to Cedars-Sinai Gyn Onc fellowship!

Fellowship Match Day brought some very exciting news – UW Ob-Gyn resident Dandi Huang, MD, PGY-4, matched into the gynecologic oncology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles! Huang was a highly sought-after candidate on the fellowship trail, and Cedars-Sinai is lucky to have her. Congratulations, Dr. Huang, we’re so excited and proud! ... more
Education Residency Dandi Huang

Spencer, Silva, McDowell serve on CREOG rural training panel

On September 23, 2020, members of the UW Ob-Gyn residency team led the panel discussion “Increasing the Rural OB/GYN Pipeline: a Pathway for Rural Track Training”, presented by the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology!Residency program director Ryan Spencer, MD, program manager Jody Silva, M.Ed, and resident Laura McDowell, MD, PGY-4 presented to over 4... more
Education Residency Ryan McDonald Ryan Spencer Jody Silva

Residency alum Harrison publishes on occupational HPV exposure in Green Journal

UW Ob-Gyn residency grad (class of 2018) and current MD Anderson fellow in gynecologic oncology Ross Harrison, MD, authored an article in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology!In “Occupational Exposure to Human Papillomavirus and Vaccination for Health Care Workers,” Harrison offers commentary on the risks associated with workplace exposure to HPV, especially in surgical smo... more
Residency Education Publication

Rural residency highlighted in CMS report

Congratulations to the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency team! Our first-in-the-nation rural ob-gyn training program was prominently featured in a recent “Improving Access to Maternal Health Care in Rural Communities” issue brief from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service.In addition to being included in a section on programs expanding training of maternal health providers i... more
Residency Education