A Timeline for Preparing for a Fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
 
During each year of your post-graduate work, there are various steps you should take to help prepare you for a fellowship.  We have outlined those steps below beginning with post graduate year 1 for gynecology and post graduate year 3 for urology:

Gynecology
Urology

Gynecology PGY1/ PGY2 - Exposure! 
It is important that as you begin your path towards a fellowship in urogynecology, you get as much exposure to the sub-specialty as possible.  

• Explore the tools and resources available on the AUGS Website and the links to other useful Websites provided in our Resources section. 
• Join AUGS! There are many benefits of membership, including: subscription to the International Urogynecology Journal, access to the online urogynecology literature reviews, networking opportunities through our online forums, and full access to the AUGS Website. 
• Attend Professional Conferences. The two main national societies for gynecologists in the sub-specialty of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery are the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and the Society for Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) and both hold yearly scientific conferences.
• Get involved in research.  Try to think of a case report or a chart review relating to the sub-specialty.  It is never too late to start.
   

Gynecology PGY3 – Setting the Stage
As you enter PGY3, it is important that you continue to seek research projects in the field of urogynecology as well as to continue to gain exposure to the specialty. In addition to continuing the steps listed above, we also recommend that you:

• Apply for the AUGS Residents Scholars Award Program: If you are truly interested in urogynecology, PGY3 residents in obstetrics and gynecology are encouraged to apply to the AUGS Resident Scholars Award Program to attend the AUGS clinical meeting.  This is a very good way to meet important players in urogynecology and to attend the clinical meeting.
• Continue to seek research projects within the sub-specialty of urogynecology.
• Prepare your CV and a personal statement before March.  The statement should describe what you want to be doing and learning during your fellowship, and what you see yourself doing in five and 10 years. 
• Contact people for letters of recommendation early (March/April).  In general, try to get letters of recommendation from people within the field of urogynecology.  It is a small field where many people know each other.  This will be an advantage to you during the interview process.  When asking for a letter of recommendation, provide your updated CV and personal statement.  This will make your letters of recommendation more personal and more in line with the rest of your application.
• Contact the Fellowship Programs that you are interested in for applications in early March or April.  Non-accredited and international programs can be found in the Fellowship Programs section of the AUGS Web site.  A complete list of accredited programs are listed on the ABOG Web site.  Urogyn is listed under Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.  ABOG Accredited programs are three years in lenght.  Accredited fellowships that are two years in length are only for physicians who have completed a residency in urology.

Gynecology PGY4 – A Time of Action
This year marks the beginning of interview season which starts in July and ends the beginning of October.  To assist you during the interview process, we recommend the following steps:

• Register with the NRMP if you are interviewing. Almost all accredited and many non-accredited fellowship programs participate in the match through the NRMP.
• Attend the AUGS Annual Scientific Meeting.  This is a great opportunity for you to talk to programs for a first or second time as it occurs in the fall during interview season.  If it is before the match deadline, it is more important to attend, but it is also like an extended interview.  Either way, you will learn about what programs focus more on, research, clinical research, basic science research, and translational research.

Urology 

Urology PGY2/5 or 3/6 - Exposure! 
It is important that as you begin your path towards a fellowship in urogynecology, you get as much exposure to the specialty as possible.  

• Explore the tools and resources available on the AUGS Website and the links to other useful Websites provided in our Resources section.
• Join AUGS! There are many benefits of membership, including: subscription to the International Urogynecology Journal, access to the online urogynecology literature reviews, networking opportunities through our online forums, and full access to the AUGS website. 
• Attend Professional Conferences. The two main national societies for gynecologists in the sub-specialty of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery are the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and the Society for Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) and both hold yearly scientific conferences.
• Get involved in research.  Try to think of a case report or a chart review relating to the sub-specialty.  It is never too late to start.

Urology PGY3/5 or 4/6 – A Little More Exposure
As you become a senior resident, it is important that you continue to seek research projects in the field of urogynecology, as well as to continue to gain exposure to the sub-specialty. In addition to continuing the steps listed above, we also recommend that you:

• Apply for the AUGS Residents Scholars Award Program: If you are truly interested in urogynecology, PGY4 residents in urology are encouraged to apply to the AUGS Resident Scholars Award Program to attend the AUGS clinical meeting.  This is a very good way to meet important players in urogynecology and to attend the clinical meeting.

Urology PGY4/5 or 5/6 – Setting the Stage
It is important to prepare now for interview process that will begin in your final year of residency.

• Continue to seek research projects within the sub-specialty of urogynecology.
• Prepare your CV and a personal statement before March.  The statement should describe what you want to be doing and learning during your fellowship, and what you see yourself doing in five and ten years.
• Contact people for letters of recommendation early (March/April).  In general, try to get letters of recommendation from people within the field of urogynecology.  It is a small field where many people know each other.  This will be an advantage to you during the interview process.  When asking for a letter of recommendation, provide your updated CV and personal statement.  This will make your letters of recommendation more personal and more in line with the rest of your application.
• Contact the Fellowship Programs that you are interested in for applications in early March or April.   Urology fellowship in Female Urology are listed on the Society for Urodynamics and Female Urology (SUFU) Web site.  These programs are sponsored by SUFU, but are seperate from ABOG/ABU accredited programs.

Urology PGY5/5 or 6/6 – A Time of Action
This year marks the beginning of interview season which starts in July and ends the beginning of October.  To assist you during the interview process, we recommend the following steps:

• Register with the NRMP if you are interviewing. Almost all accredited and many non-accredited fellowship programs participate in the match through the NRMP.
• Attend the AUGS Annual Scientific Meeting.  This is a great opportunity for you to talk to programs for a first or second time as it occurs in the fall during interview season.  If it is before the match deadline, it is more important to attend, but it is also like an extended interview.  Either way, you will learn about what programs focus more on, research, clinical research, basic science research, and translational research.