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
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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
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.
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.
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.
Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles
Alex Berger, MD, MPH
Penn Medicine
Ekene Enemchukwu, MD, MPH
Stanford University
Rachel High, DO
UT Austin, Houston Methodist, Texas A&M University School of Medicine
Melanie Meister, MD, MCSI
University of Kansas
Shannon Wallace, MD
Cleveland Clinic Hospital
2019-2021 Participants
Lauren Cadish, MD
Providence St. John’s Health Center
Lee Richter, MD
Georgetown School of Medicine
David Sheyn, MD
Case Western Reserve
Megan Bradley, MD
Magee Women’s Hospital –
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Emi Bretschneider, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Candace Parker-Autry, MD
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Advisory Committee
Mentors
Program Administration
AUGS Coordinator
Weiyi Zhao
weiyi@augs.org
American Urogynecologic Society