Quarterly E-Newsletter – Fall 2020
FORGING AHEAD IN CHALLENGING TIMES
In our last quarterly newsletter, we highlighted milestones of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and how Duke Ob/Gyn has shown its strength. If you would like to revisit it, here is the link.

Since then, we continue to manage new and innovative ways to live our mission, vision and values. This includes persevering in light of the ongoing challenges we continue to face as cases of COVID-19 are once again on the rise globally.

Even when faced with uncertainty, we have shown our strength and commitment to research, education and patient care.

  • Last month, we successfully presented the 70th Carter Society Annual Meeting, a highlight for alumni and trainees. In virtual format, we were able to gather, share presentations on a variety of topics relating to our specialty and even “meet” with alumni to reminisce via Zoom. If you’d like to watch the presentations, including the State of the Department update, they can be found here. We plan to offer access to Grand Rounds and CME credits for Carter Society members in the near future. Information will be forthcoming. Please visit the Carter Society website for updates, registration and to pay dues.

  • Recruitment for the next generation of specialists and subspecialists also has continued with innovative new communications tools. We held virtual fellowship interviews and residency recruitment open houses, and increased engagement through social media and other digital platforms. We look forward to residency recruitment in the coming weeks.
  • We produced a "personalized virtual tour" of our residency program for prospective candidates, since seeing the beautiful Duke campus and interacting with our clinical teams was not possible this year. I encourage you to watch the video, which is about 15 minutes long.



Enjoy this edition, and please stay connected with us — and most importantly, stay safe!
Matthew D. Barber, MD, MHS
E.C. Hamblen Professor and Chair
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Duke University Medical Center
The Donald T. Moore Endowed Lecture has been rescheduled. As further information is available, it will be shared.
Duke SOM Moments to Movement Committee Appointments
As part of the Duke School of Medicine's long-established commitment to anti-racism and diversity and inclusion, leadership and faculty have been actively involved with ensuring that disparities and health equity continue to be a strategic priority. Duke Ob/Gyn Dept. Chair Matthew D. Barber, MD, MHS, and faculty Maria Small, MD, MPH, recently were selected to serve on two DUSOM Moments to Movement committees. Read more.

Faculty Rebecca Previs, MD, MS, (Gynecologic Oncology) and Jonas Swartz, MD, MPH (Women’s Community and Population Health), were named the first Duke NIH/NICHD Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development K12 Award Scholars. Through the WRHR program, the two faculty will have the opportunity to participate in an extensive training program that combines cutting-edge research experiences with an innovative and proven career development framework to help develop the next generation of Ob/Gyn clinician-scientists. Read more.
LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
Alice Cooper, OGNP, RNC, has been named Vice Chair for Ambulatory Services for the Department of Ob/Gyn. Alice also was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of Project Access of Durham. The organization's mission is to improve the health of uninsured and underserved Durham County residents by providing access to an organized system of comprehensive care and collaborating with community partners to address barriers to health.

Amy Broach, MD, MS (MIGS), was appointed Assistant Medical Director of Ambulatory Services for the Department of Ob/Gyn on October 12, 2020. In her new role, she will work closely with Alice Cooper, as well as with Vice Chair of Gynecology Anthony Visco, MD, and Vice Chair of Obstetrics and Quality Brenna Hughes, MD, MSc.

Jennifer Gilner, MD, PhD, has been appointed Medical Director for the Duke University Hospital Birthing Center. Dr. Gilner is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She began her new leadership role October 1, 2020. Sincerest gratitude to Chad Grotegut, MD, MHSc, MBA, for his dedication and invaluable leadership over the past five years. Dr. Grotegut has been appointed Chief of MFM and Vice Chair of Obstetrics at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Estela DiFranco Field, BSN, MSN, CNM, has been appointed Associate Medical Director for the Duke University Hospital Birthing Center. She will work in partnership with Dr. Jennifer Gilner. Read more.
DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS
Duke Urogynecology's extensive research and innovation showcased at PFD Week 2020
 
At the American Urogynecologic Society's (AUGS) Annual Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFD) Week Conference, advancements in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery were showcased. Eric Jelovsek, MD, MMEd, MSDS, was awarded Best Clinical Abstract for the paper Success and failure are dynamic, recurrent event states after surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse. Dr. Jelovsek was lead author, and Matthew Barber, MD, MHS, was co-author. (Dr. Jelovsek also received Best Abstract at the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) virtual annual meeting for the same paper; the meeting was held in August/September 2020.)
Dr. Jelovsek gave several presentations at AUGS, and he was awarded the Inaugural AUGS Innovation Lecture. His lecture presentation was titled "Clinical Prediction Models, Machine Learning and Decisions Making." 
Reproductive Sciences studies impact of e-waste

In an effort to address concerns about the global impact on maternal-fetal health of frequently unregulated e-waste, Liping Feng, MD, (Reproductive Sciences) initiated and led a program to study and evaluate this issue with her colleagues and student lead, Chrissy Crute, graduate student and PhD candidate (Nicholas School of the Environment Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program). Crute’s work is partially supported by Duke Ob/Gyn. The Bass Connections project is titled The Global Impacts of E-waste Exposure and E-waste Recycling Policy on Maternal and Fetal HealthLearn more.
Gynecologic Oncology: transforming the standard of care

Gynecologic Oncologist Angeles Secord, MD, MHSc, is featured in the GOG (Gynecologic Oncology Group) Foundation's informational video, recognizing her commitment to transforming the standard of care. Please take a moment to watch. Dr. Secord also has been appointed an ABOG Gynecologic Oncology Examiner for the 2021 Gynecologic Oncology Certifying Examination. The exams will be held in April 2021.

Maternal-fetal Medicine faculty appointed to national organizational roles
Brenna Hughes, MD, MSc, Division Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, has been selected to join The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's Board of Directors for the 2021-2023 term.

Samuel Bauer, MD, who joined Duke Ob/Gyn earlier this month, has been invited to serve on the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Patient Safety and Quality Committee, which is one of SMFM's national efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes. His term begins in January 2021 and will conclude at the SMFM annual meeting in 2024.
REI faculty receive ASRM Star Awards

REI's Thomas Price, MD, and Division Chief Anne Steiner, MD, MPH, received American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2020 Star Awards, honoring those who have presented during at least nine of the ASRM Annual Meetings/ASRM Scientific Congresses from 2010-2019. Also receiving the honor were Suheil Muasher, MD (Emeritus faculty); former faculty member Jennifer Eaton, MD, MSCI; and former Duke resident Emily Jungheim, MD, MS.
ALUMNI, KEEP IN TOUCH!

If you are an alumna/alumnus and your information needs to be updated with Duke Ob/Gyn, please click here to fill out a survey.

Note: If you graduated prior to 2000, please also fill out the survey so we can be sure to include your information. Thank you.