UrogynCREST Program - Research

The AUGS/DUKE Urogynecology Clinical Research Educational Scientist Training (UrogynCREST) program is open to junior faculty within approximately 7 years of fellowship who have a passion for research. The UrogynCREST Program (NICHD R25-HD094667) offers participants the opportunity to increase their knowledge of health services research, data science, and analytics, and to develop a project that can be the basis of future research grants. This program provides in-depth hands-on instruction for promising young physician-researchers in the field of pelvic floor disorders through a combination of online course work in data sciences and one-on-one instruction to design an innovative research project and publish the results.

The UrogynCREST program has four components:

Year 1: Coursework
Year 2: Support from Mentors and Biostatisticians
Access to Data
Dissemination and Networking

Learn More

UrogynCREST at PFD Week 2023 in Portland, OR.

Here’s what Cohorts 1 and 2 have said about the UrogynCREST faculty and coursework:

The highlight was definitely being able to work with such dedicated mentors. As my project topic redirected, [my mentors] were incredibly supportive, offering guidance without overdirecting. They have been so responsive throughout, and I have learned so much as we worked through project development, statistical analysis, and manuscript edits.

[Healthcare databases] was a fantastic module - everything from the lectures to discussion to assignment were very relevant for our project. I very much appreciated how the assignment was directly related to our project, and completing this assignment helped move my project in a very productive direction.

Participant Publications

Parker-Autry CY, Bauer S, Ford C, Gregory WT, Badlani G, Scales CD. Examining the role of frailty on treatment patterns and complications among older women undergoing procedure-based treatment for urinary incontinence. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Jan 27;. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glae027. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 38280028.

Berger AA, Bretschneider CE, Gregory WT, Sung V. Longitudinal Reoperation Risk After Apical Prolapse Procedures in Women Aged 65 Years and Older. Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Mar 1;143(3):411-418. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005511. Epub 2024 Jan 16. PMID: 38227947.

Ackerman AL, Torosis M, Jackson NJ, Caron AT, Kaufman MR, Lowder JL, Routh JC. The Persistency
Index: a novel screening tool for identifying myofascial pelvic floor dysfunction in patients seeking care
for lower urinary tract symptoms. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Dec;229(6):667.e1-667.e11. doi:
10.1016/j.ajog.2023.08.017. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PubMed PMID: 37633575; NIHMSID:NIHMS1962475.

Berger AA, Bretschneider CE, Gregory WT, Sung V. Effects of Same-Day Discharge on 30-Day Readmission Rates in Women Aged 65 Years and Older Undergoing Minimally Invasive Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery. Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Jun 8. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005226. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37290098

Ackerman AL, Jackson NJ, Caron AT, Kaufman MR, Routh JC, Lowder JL. Myofascial Frequency Syndrome: A novel syndrome of bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms associated with myofascial pelvic floor dysfunction. medRxiv. 2023 Apr 17;. doi: 10.1101/2023.04.14.23288590. PubMed PMID: 37131628; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10153318.

Meister MRL, Osazuwa-Peters OL, Lowder JL, Handa VL. Transition to surgery after pessary among female Medicare beneficiaries with pelvic organ prolapse. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023 May;228(5):559.e1-559.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.01.006. Epub 2023 Jan 7. PubMed PMID: 36627074; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10149554.

Torosis M, Jackson NJ, Nitti V, Ackerman AL. Overactive Bladder Patients With and Without Urgency Incontinence: A Spectrum of One Condition or Different Phenotypes? Urogynecology. October 3, 2022 doi:10.1097/SPV.0000000000001254.

Kameny, Rebecca R. PhD; Amundsen, Cindy L. MD. Design and Implementation of a Career Development Program for Physician-Scientists: Lessons Learned. Urogynecology. 2022 Aug 1;28(8):479-485. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001210. Epub 2022 May 30. PubMed PMID: 35703231; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9590371.

Cadish LA, Ford CB, Wu JM, Anger JT. Mortality and Reoperation Following Midurethral Sling Versus Urethral Bulking in Older Women. Urology. 2022 Jul;165:144-149. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2022.03.033. Epub 2022 Apr 20. PubMed PMID: 35460678; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9940270.

Sheyn, David MD∗; Gregory, W. Thomas MD†; Osazuwa-Peters, Oyomoare PhD‡; Jelovsek, J. Eric MD§. Development and Validation of a Model for Predicting Surgical Site Infection After Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery. Urogynecology. 2022 Oct 1;28(10):658-666. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001222. Epub 2022 Jun 29. PubMed PMID: 35830590; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9590370.

Bretschneider CE, Scales CD Jr, Osazuwa-Peters O, Sheyn D, Sung V. Adverse outcomes after minimally invasive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse in women 65 years and older in the United States. Int Urogynecol J. 2022 Sep;33(9):2409-2418. doi: 10.1007/s00192-022-05238-x. Epub 2022 Jun 4. PubMed PMID: 35662357; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9724747.

Bradley MS, Ford C, Stagner M, Handa V, Lowder J. Incidence of urosepsis or pyelonephritis after uncomplicated urinary tract infection in older women. Int Urogynecol J. 2022 May;33(5):1311-1317. doi: 10.1007/s00192-022-05132-6. Epub 2022 Mar 30. PMID: 35353245.

Bradley, Megan S. MD∗; Stanger, Michael BS†; Ford, Cassie PhD†; Lowder, Jerry MD, MSc‡; Handa, Victoria L. MD, MHS§. Characteristics Associated With Repeated Evaluations for Urinary Tract Infections in Older Women: A Case-Control Study. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery. 2022 Apr 1;28(4):e133-e136. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001129.

Richter LA, Osazuwa-Peters OL, Routh JC, Handa VL. Vaginal Complications after Cystectomy: Results from a Medicare Sample. J Urol. 2022 Apr;207(4):789-796. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000002336. Epub 2021 Dec 2. PubMed PMID: 34854750; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8916976.

Featured in Practice Update – Urology with expert commentary

Richter LA, Egan J, Alagha EC, Handa VL. Vaginal Complications after Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review. Urology. 2021 Oct;156:e20-e29. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.07.001. Epub 2021 Jul 17. PubMed PMID: 34284007; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8914981.

2022-2024 Participants

The UrogynCREST Advisory Committee has selected six enthusiastic and capable individuals from various institutions for the 2022 program year. The Committee had a very challenging task reviewing a very strong group of Junior Faculty applicants interested in pursuing additional education and training to conduct Health Services Research.

Linda Burkett, MD

VCU Health System

Teni Brown, MD

Northwestern University

Olivia Chang, MD, MPH

University of California, Irvine

Nancy Ringel, MD, MS

Yale University

Priyanka Kadam Halani, MD

Scripps Health

Sara E Jeney, MD

University of New Mexico

2020-2022 Participants

The UrogynCREST Advisory Committee has selected six enthusiastic and capable individuals from various institutions for the 2020 program year. The Committee had a very challenging task reviewing a very strong group of Junior Faculty applicants interested in pursuing additional education and training to conduct Health Services Research.