Hello,

Happy beginning of fall as we enter the last official week of summer. It has been a summer like no other and one we all hope not to repeat. But despite a pandemic and ongoing racial injustice, you show resilience and dedication caring for our patients, teaching our learners, and advancing care through research and discovery. I could not be prouder and thank you for all you do.

Take care of yourself and each other.
Best,

Dee E. Fenner, MD
New OBGYN Department Diversity Equity & Inclusion Work Groups!
The OBGYN Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, led by Dr. Okeoma Mmeje and supported by Project Manager, Emily Rivkin, is creating work groups to oversee the OBGYN Department's DEI strategic plan.
Dr. Marsh featured on Michigan Medicine Blog
Dr. Erica Marsh's research on racial disparities in uterine fibroids was featured in a new blog post by Michigan Medicine. The piece highlights her journey to fibroids research, as well as the importance of inclusive research to more equitably and effectively treat uterine fibroids. 
New Article by Dr. Moniz in Implementation Science
In their newly published article, Dr. Michelle Moniz and coauthors examine what attributes allow healthcare change agents to drive successful clinical practice change.
New Article by Dr. Smith in Nature Communications
Dr. Gary Smith's human embryo/human embryonic stem cells work, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and others, on PGT-A embryos (specifically Tri-16) was recently accepted in Nature Communications. The study's results present the first detailed analysis of post-implantation development of aneuploid human embryos.
onWHARD is Presenting Five Posters at APHA
onWHARD will have a strong presence at this year's American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting. The ELLAS team had five abstracts accepted for presentation at the annual meeting in October on topics ranging from contraception use to health insurance status. The abstracts were developed by study staff, onWHARD student researchers, and members of our ELLAS Community Advisory Board.

APHA 2020 onWHARD abstracts:

  • Obesity, lifestyle, and eating out in restaurants among Latina/latinx women. Richard Bryce, DO, Anne Waldo, MS, Lisa Neff, MD, MS, Maricela Castillo MacKenzie, MD, Barbara Garcia, BA, Rocio Contreras, BS, and Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG.

  • Utilization of tobacco products by reproductive aged Latinas/x. Felix Valbuena Jr., MD, FAAFP, Anne Waldo, MS, Audrey Barick, MPH, Esperanza Igram, MPH, Sofia Fall, and Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG.

  • What is the utilization of contraception amongst reproductive aged Latinas/latinx females and what factors are associated with its use?Sarah Thornburgh, BS, Anne Waldo, MS, Sonia Acosta, PhD, Felix Valbuena Jr., MD, FAAFP, Gisselle Zuniga, Arthi Ramakrishnan, MS, and Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG.

  • Access to healthcare and health insurance status in Latina/latinx females: Insights from the ELLAS study. Emma Manuel, BS, Anne Waldo, MS, Sonia Acosta, PhD, Barbara Garcia, BA, Gina Aliste, Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, Donna Baird, PhD, MPH. and Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG.

  • Food insecurity among reproductive age Latinas/x in the environment, leiomyomas, Latinas and adiposity study (ELLAS). Travertine Garcia, BS, Richard Bryce, DO, Lisa Neff, MD, MS, Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, Anne Waldo, MS, Barbara Garcia, BA, and Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG.
Dr. Morgan Recognized by the Learning Environment Task Force
The University of Michigan Medical School Learning Environment Task Force is a student group dedicated to fostering a positive learning environment. Congratulations to Dr. Dan Morgan on being identified by UMMS students as an exemplar in cultivating and upholding a positive learning environment.

In acknowledging his dedication, a student shared the following:
“I am a female student and after I completed a very kind woman's appointment alongside Dr. Morgan, the patient thanked us for being such a great nurse and doctor. Without hesitating, Dr. Morgan quickly and insistently corrected her, reminding her that I am a medical student, and will one day be a doctor. Patients mistaking me (and my female peers) for nurses even after we have introduced ourselves as medical students, student doctors, etc. is all too common, and in the discussion on how to address it, the need for faculty to step up is always stressed. I thought Dr. Morgan handled the situation incredibly respectfully and tactfully, and it made me feel not only appreciated and valued, but it also made me feel that Michigan's commitment to addressing these issues is actually shared by the attending physicians.” 
Meet our Department's New Quality Improvement Directors!
Dr. Beth Campbell (OB)
Dr. Shitanshu Uppal (GYN)
Drs. Beth Campbell and Shitanshu Uppal have agreed to serve as the Department of OBGYN's Quality Improvement Directors for OB and GYN.

They will work with our Service Chiefs, Dr. Roger Smith (OB) and Dr. Courtney Lim (GYN), to lead our department's quality improvement (QI) efforts. We have had an exemplary team working together for the past 20 years leading the way in QI for the institution. Much has changed, especially at Von Voigtlander Hospital, in terms of quality support and oversight. Drs. Campbell, Uppal, Smith and Lim will be reviewing our current system and looking for integration with the hospital and decreasing redundancy as we move forward.

Our goal is to maintain the high quality reviews, while at the same time, improving our follow-up and effector arm for sustainable quality improvements. A major emphasis will be to integrate our world class health services research program and our health systems science experts into our quality work.
Congratulations Drs. Campbell and Uppal!
Arthi Ramakrishnan is Lead Speaker at the Monthly AAiL Meeting
The Asian Americans in Leadership (AAiL) Leadership Task Force seeks to address the under-representation of Asians in leadership roles and connect Asians with resources and support needed for advancement at Michigan Medicine and beyond.

The purpose is to provide opportunities for development, advocate for diverse and inclusive leadership, combat biases and stereotypes, and address structural barriers to promote the advancement of Asians at Michigan Medicine.

Arthi was invited to discuss her personal leadership journey and to bring awareness to the barriers Asian Americans face in obtaining leadership roles. 
New OBGYN Faculty Members:
  • Leah Mitchell, MD, Women's Health
New OBGYN Staff Members:
  • Sarah Richardson, Clinical Subjects Coordinator
Learn How to Better Make Patient Education Materials!
All health system clinicians are invited to participate in the class “Plain Language is more than Words."

Date: September 8th, 2020
Time: 3:30 - 5 pm
Location: Zoom Webinar

At the completion of this course (MLearning course code: PEHL-10001), participants will be able to implement patient-centered visual communication practices that are crucial to ensure their patient education materials are understandable and actionable. These include layout, typography and graphical elements of written and audiovisual patient education materials.
CEW+ Advocacy Symposium Kick-off Event
Date: September 10, 2020
Time: 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Zoom Webinar

CEW+ presents its annual fall symposium with a diverse group of scholars and community practitioners who embody leadership in varied ways as they advocate for change. This year’s virtual symposium includes a series of presentations and workshops that will take place over the course of the academic year.
 
The kickoff event on September 10 will feature a keynote address by Dr. Martha Jones on the role of black women in the civil rights and voting rights movements and lightning talks by CEW+ Carol Hollenshead Inspire Award for Excellence in Promoting Equity and Social Change Awardees.
 
This symposium is free and open to all activists, advocates, and allies from all U-M campuses (students, staff, faculty) as well as the local community. 
Exploring Mindfulness: Techniques and a Guided Meditation
Dr. Frank Anderson, MPH, in partnership with the Office of Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development, will discuss mindfulness techniques and lead participants through 20-minute guided meditations. Each session will address a different skill but are also stand alone.

Dates: Sept. 14th, Oct. 12th, Nov. 9th, & Dec. 14th
Time: 12 - 12:30 pm
Location: Zoom Webinar
Join Our September 29th Women's Health Webinar!

Date: September 29th, 2020
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Location: Zoom Webinar

The September 29th webinar will focus on topics in women’s health and feature Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty members Drs. Dee Fenner, Erica Marsh, Maya Hammoud, and Molly Stout.

This webinar will give you the opportunity to hear from our faculty and ask questions about the latest news, updates, and progress in patient care and research in women’s health.  
Save the Date!: 2021 OBGYN Department Picnic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 OBGYN Department picnic has been cancelled.

Don't worry - our celebration next year will be even bigger and better to make up for the fun we missed out on this year!

The 2021 OBGYN Department Picnic will take place on August 7th, 2021!
Please Join our New “ObGyn Wellness” Workplace Social Page! 
Wellness means something different to everyone, so there's no right or wrong answer when considering what to share on this page! Wellness for some means spending time with family and friends. Some people enjoy nature, flowers, and plants. Other people enjoy working out! Whatever it is that helps make YOU feel like your best self, feel free to share with your colleagues. Your post might inspire someone to try something different, or it might help us all feel a little more connected!
Anti-Racism Primer: What Can I Do?
The Office of Faculty Development is offering an anti-racism primer, “Anti-Racism Crash Course – What Can I Do?” for UM faculty and staff.

Individuals can participate in two ways: a quick start self-guided course or an email subscription cohort.

This content is available at no cost for U-M faculty and staff on the Ann Arbor, Flint, Dearborn campuses and Michigan Medicine.
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