Mission

The comprehensive goal of the NCC Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery is to train academic fellows who are outstanding clinicians, teachers, and research contributors. The clinical educational objective of the training program is to provide fellows with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to independently manage complex gynecologic patients that may benefit from advanced endoscopic procedures.

Vision

The vision of the fellowship program is to train highly skilled military physicians in minimally invasive surgery who will:

1. Improve the quality of care for women.
2. Expand the knowledge in the field through basic science and clinical research.
3. Develop into scholarly educators and leaders in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.

Didactic content is offered weekly.

Fellows spend 50% time at WRNMMC and 50% time at Inova Health System in Alexandria, Virginia.

There are currently no electives are offered in our program.

Fellows spend one shift per month while rotating at WRNMMC.

Online training is provided. Fellows also have the option to participate in residency military unique curriculum including officer development as needed.

Stanford – Biomedical Statistics Course (Completed virtually during first year)

Listed below are all the required simulation events for the fellows. Items denoted with (*) indicated workshops with residents where they will have the opportunity to perform the simulation as well as act as surgical educators for residents

DHA Multispecialty Robotic Training Curriculum

Introduced in 2023 with plans for implementation in starting July 2023 will include the following:

• Intuitive Learning – Online robotic training
• Operative Workshops at Uniformed Service University Robotics Lab (Docking, instrument exchange, console time)
• Bedside assisting (10 cases)
• Completions of Intuitive Surgical SimNow Modules
  • Score >90% on 6 milestone modules

OB/GYN Residency Quarterly Simulation Curriculum*

Thursday afternoons, organized by Dr. Thuan Le, MIGS Core Faculty and Residency Simulation Coordinator

GYN Simulation Exercises

• SimSei Applied Medical Laparoscopic Training System
  • Port Placement
  • Basic and complex laparoscopic skills training (peg board, hysterectomy)
  • Hand-eye coordination, Dexterity, Depth perception
• Laparoscopic myomectomy
• Tissues Extraction with cow tongue model
• Anterior and Posterior Repairs
• Mid-Urethral Slings
• Hysteroscopic resectoscope

FMIGS Annual Bootcamp

Fellows will attend the Annual FMIGS bootcamp held concurrently with the AAGL Global Congress. This is a one day even where fellows will participate in didactic and simulation activities including the following:

• Vaginal Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery (vNOTES)

• DaVinici Surgical Training – Simulation, Port Placement

• Laparoscopic Training – Port Placement, Vaginal cuff closure, suturing

Hysteroscopic Simulation

Diagnostic and Hysteroscopic morcellators

During training, the fellow will undertake an independent original research project approved by the fellowship director. The research experience will be initiated in the first year of fellowship training. A research mentor who has expertise (i.e. proven track record of hypothesis-based research publications) in clinical research and is available and regularly meets with and mentors the fellow will be appointed. Under the supervision of the research mentor, the fellow must complete, by the end of his/her final academic year, at least one Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved (if applicable) research project relevant to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. This research project must be an original data-driven project, meta-analysis or a systematic review that conforms to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and ultimately must be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal by the end of fellowship. Writing a textbook chapter, clinical opinion review article, or production of an educational/scientific video does not meet criteria for an approved research project. It is the expectation that the fellow thesis will result in publication.

Inova Hospital System - Alexandria

We do not offer resident rotation opportunities during the fellowship interview season from outside hospitals to be fair to inclusivity and equity as other applicants may not have the funds or opportunities to rotate with us and this may confer an unfair advantage to that candidate.

With that said, for interested medical students, we offer a 1-week rotation as part of the 3rd year USUHS Obstetrics and Gynecology core clinical rotation block. For interested 4th year medical students we offer a 2-week rotation through the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for USUHS and HPSP students interviewing for a military Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency.

Candidates will undergo virtual interviews with PD and APDs during pre-defined window.

No board certification is offered.

The NCC Uniformed Services Residency in Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics (GS&O) is recognized as one of the premier residency programs in the United States. Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) Fellows play an integral role in the education of residents and medical students within the department. A third year resident and one or more medical students are assigned to the division for each rotation. Residents and medical students function as important members of the health care team under the direction of the MIGS fellows.

Fellows are expected to serve as supervisor, teacher, role model, and assessor and as such are expected to promote student and resident education in a positive and thorough manner.

Fellow as a Role Model:

• Role modeling behavior includes ethical behavior and professionalism, medical reasoning, clinical decision-making, and compassionate, humanistic approaches to patient care.
• Residents and Medical Students should be treated with respect. Destructive, belittling comments do not enhance learning and are inappropriate.
• Fellows will be asked to prepare 1 to 2 didactic lectures for the Department of GS&O each year and present at least 1 grand rounds during the year of the fellowship.
• Each fellow will also be asked to attend, present, and lead discussions at quarterly MIGS Journal Club.

Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery

We offer several  well-being events throughout the year including dinner parties and group exercise.