URPS Division brings research, leadership to 2026 SGS Annual Meeting

The Society of Gynecologic Surgeons hosted the 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Phoenix, AZ from March 22-25, 2026. UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty and trainees brought posters, films, and presentations to the meeting. Just some of their exciting accomplishments: 

Oral Session: 

Vulvar Fractionated CO2-Laser Therapy with and Without Concomitant Topical Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Ointment for Treatment of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (VULVIE): A Randomized Controlled Trial - Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH, as session discussant

Videos:  

Interdisciplinary Approach to Evaluation and Repair of a Complex Post-Cesarean Fistula – Maria Ochoa, MD; Ushma Patel, MD; Sarah McAchran, MD; Frank Lin, MD, MS; Caroline Cox, MD 

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Suturing and Knot-Tying During the EMIG Exam (Part One) – Saule Tamkus, MD; India Anderson-Carter, MD; Caroline Cox 

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Suturing and Knot-Tying during the EMIG Exam (Part Two) - Saule Tamkus, MD; India Anderson-Carter, MD; Caroline Cox 

Leadership: 

Pelvic Anatomy Guide update – Caroline Cox, MD

Posters: 

Preoperative Referral to a Primary Care Provider and Association with Perioperative Medical Complications in Urogynecologic Surgery – Julie Dorland, MD; Saule Tamkus, MD; Obiyageli Oniah; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Decreased Patient Driving Time, Gasoline Cost, and Carbon Emissions with an Institutional Home Foley Removal Quality Initiative – Naomi Roselaar, MD; Julie Dorland, MD; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Young Attending Course: Teaching and Billing and Marketing: Oh My! - The Pros and Pitfalls of Social Media: How to Market and Grow Your Surgical Practice – Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH 

Rapid Oral: 

Association Between Area Deprivation Index and Surgical Access in Urogynecology Patients - Saule Tamkus, MD; Julie Dorland, MD; Obiyageli Oniah; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Oral Poster:  

Decreasing surgical site infection rates after benign hysterectomy: Effects of a bundled approach - Hartmann A., Myers E., Davis Rivera LB., Wighton N., Han ES., Hoffman MK., Babak Vakili, MD 

Incredible work, all! 

Welcome incoming URPS Fellow Saule Tamkus, MD!

The Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery celebrates a successful match season with the news that Saule Tamkus, MD, has matched to the URPS fellowship! Tamkus will join the fellowship program in August 2026. 

Tamkus earned her medical degree from Rush Medical College, followed by ob-gyn residency at the University of Wisconsin. She graduated from residency in 2025 and will spend one year as an assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn before starting URPS fellowship.  

We’re thrilled Dr. Tamkus will stay in the Department of Ob-Gyn for a few more years!

Tamkus presents poster at ASCCP Scientific Meeting

Tamkus brought the poster “HPV Vaccination at the Time of Colposcopy: A Quality Improvement Study" to the conference. The project was co-authored by Ashley Jennings, MD, associate professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn.

Incredible work, Dr. Tamkus!

Tamkus presents at 2022 HAGO meeting

UW Ob-Gyn resident Saule Tamkus, MD, PGY-2, presented at the Heartland Association of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting in Ann Arbor, Michigan on September 29, 2022!

Tamkus presented the abstract “Analysis of the Initial Years of Gynecologic Oncology Standardized Letters of Evaluation (SLOE) for Fellowship Applications” at the conference. UW Ob-Gyn Residency Program Director and Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Director Ryan Spencer, MD, MS, was senior author on the abstract. The data Tamkus presented will guide future iterations of SLOEs in the GYN Oncology fellowship application process.

Congratulations, Dr. Tamkus!