Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) Fellowship

Virginia Mason's Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) fellowship is a two-year ACGME-accredited fellowship, which includes a comprehensive clinical experience and research time.

The fellowship faculty consists of operative urologists and urogynecologists who specialize in urinary incontinence and female pelvic floor reconstruction, and one non-operative urologist who specializes in the medical management of urinary incontinence and female sexual dysfunction. Will Fuller, MD, is a GURS fellowship trained urologist. Fellows will also work with gynecology, colorectal surgery and gastroenterology faculty. One of our faculty is Julie LaCombe, MD, a gynecology-trained urogynecologist at Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash.

Meet the faculty team:

URPS

• Una Lee, MD
• Alvaro Lucioni, MD
• Cristi Palmer, DO
• Ksenija B. Stefanovic, MD, PhD

Reconstructive Urology

• Will Fuller, MD

Colorectal

• Jenny Kaplan, MD
• Ravi Moonka, MD
• Vlad Simianu, MD

The program provides the fellow the necessary resources to learn and experience a hands-on educational approach to the care of the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery patient. Fundamental to the program is the team approach. The fellow will be an active participant in patient care including outpatient clinic and the operating room. The clinical volume at Virginia Mason has excellent breadth and depth, and the fellow will be exposed to a wide array of cases involving female urology, pelvic floor reconstruction, male incontinence, erectile dysfunction, urethroplasty, and sexual dysfunction. The fellow will graduate with evaluation and management experience and advanced surgical skills in index and complex urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse including vaginal and robotic hysterectomy, neuromodulation, mesh-related complications, and the use of Xi da Vinci robotic system for reconstructive cases including fistula repair.

• Fellowship Goal and Objectives
  • Rotation 1
  • Rotation 2
  • Rotation 3
  • Research
• Fellowship Schedule
• Current and Former Fellows
• Graduate Medical Education

The fellow will have six months research time during their first year. The fellow will receive training and mentorship in clinical research throughout his/her fellowship. The fellow will have the opportunity to initiate research projects and join existing collaborative work. The fellow will be responsible for maintenance of our clinical database, and will present his/her research at meetings including at the annual American Urologic Association meeting, and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction winter meeting.

The research experience brings together considerable resources available to the fellow to fuel their academic interests. The Section of Urology has a long-standing commitment to studying and improving patient outcomes. The expert resources in the Department of Research & Academics are available to support fellows. Specifically, these resources include access to a research coordinator to prepare the IRB protocol and any amendments, consent patients, and coordinate engagement activities; a database manager/analyst to build a REDCap database and analyze the data; and a research program manager to oversee project activities, provide strategic planning and operations oversight, and develop future funding opportunities.

Here are examples of some of our recent publications.

All applications need to be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Please refer to the ERAS guidelines for application deadlines. The Society for Urodynamics & Female Urology (SUFU) website is a helpful resource to guide you through the application process.

Virtual interviews will be scheduled and the dates will be confirmed via ERAS. Our interview dates are scheduled in April each year.

Please email Nicole Culver, Program Coordinator, with any questions concerning your application.