Didactic Conference Schedule

This department-wide morbidity and mortality conference is presented by the senior resident on each service: Obstetrics, Benign Gynecology (including Urogynecology), GYN Oncology, and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Attendance at this conference is required by all faculty and residents and provides 1 CME credit.

A list of all patients admitted to the gynecologic oncology service during the preceding week is prepared by the senior resident assigned to the service. Cases of interest and those with complications are presented by the senior resident to the conference participants, which include departmental faculty, residents, and fellows. The gynecologic oncology faculty and fellows are available to clarify patient presentations, answer questions, and offer pertinent teaching points.

This is a weekly meeting. Reading material on a clinical or basic science topic is assigned to each fellow and is discussed by one of the attending faculty. Particular attention is given to the pharmacology of chemotherapy, surgical methods, and areas of controversy or new research. Anatomy review with dissection of a cadaver is offered every 3 years.

This department-wide Grand Rounds is an excellent source of continuing medical education, covering a wide variety of topics relevant to obstetricians and gynecologists. Attendance of Grand Rounds is required for all faculty and residents and provides 1 CME credit.

The gynecologic oncology fellows are encouraged to attend, although not all topics are pertinent to the oncology curriculum. The fellow is expected to present a scholarly talk at the Departmental grand rounds prior to graduation.

This bi-monthly conference is divided into a faculty-led oncology journal club, a fellow-led peri-operative case discussion with pertinent literature review, a fellow-led chemotherapy case discussion with literature review, a research seminar with current research data presented by any member in the division (or guests from other areas), and the division administrative meeting including the monthly Graduate Education Committee for review of fellowship issues. Residents are invited to attend some of the sessions, but the educational level of all of the conferences is at the fellowship level.

The Department is home to 10 Board-certified and non-Board certified clinical and research fellowships in obstetrics and gynecology. To promote cross-specialty collaboration, all trainees take part in our Michigan Medicine Didactic Curriculum. These are ½ day educational seminars on numerous topics relevant to clinical research and academic leadership.  Topics include research design and implementation, identifying funding opportunities, manuscript timelines and preparation, how to be an effective teacher, and employment contracts. In addition, the department sponsors social events for fellows and advanced trainees across all specialties to further encourage collaboration and to help fellows build both a professional and personal network.

This multidisciplinary conference is held with the Department of Radiation Oncology, the Division of Surgical Pathology, and the Division of Medical Oncology every Wednesday afternoon. All patients with newly diagnosed gynecologic cancer who require the formulation of a treatment plan, as well as patients who require a new treatment strategy because of a change in disease status, are discussed and the pathology is reviewed. Residents prepare patient care summary notes and present the clinical history. The fellows prepare the presentation list and review any radiographic studies of interest. Following a review of the pertinent pathology, the fellow proposes a management plan with citation of current literature and assessment of protocol eligibility. Following a discussion with the attending faculty, a plan of management is formalized and recommendations for treatment established.