Where are you from, and where did you complete your medical training?
I am from the Windsor, Ont., area. I completed medical school at the Windsor campus of the Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. I then completed my ob-gyn residency training here at the University of Toronto and graduated in June 2021.
What made you decide to pursue this fellowship?
I decided to pursue the SJHC MIGS Fellowship in order to improve my gynecologic surgical skills, as well as to better serve the growing population of patients diagnosed with endometriosis who can benefit from surgical management. This fellowship has been critical to improving my surgical skill and confidence, as I completed all of my gyne chiefing during 2020 when there were prolonged OR shutdowns due to COVID.
What makes your fellowship program unique?
The MIGS fellowship program at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto is unique in a few ways:
- 1-year program with ample OR time
- Flexibility to complete research/grad studies during your fellowship if desired
- More of a community feel to the hospital, which is ideal to prepare you for a busy surgical community practice if this is your goal
- Fellows can take both gyne and OB calls at SJHC (very convenient!)
- Fellows attend staff clinics, which helps to consolidate your counselling and decision-making skills, and allows you to follow patients through to surgery and see their post-operative result
- WONDERFUL colleagues! The MIGS staff, entire ob-gyn team, anesthesia staff, OR nursing teams, OR aids, etc. at SJHC are very supportive and absolutely a joy to work with!
What have been some of the fun aspects of your training?
In addition to really enjoying my clinical and surgical training with the MIGS team, I have truly enjoyed and appreciated our social time together, which has made the experience even more special!
Some of the highlights have been:
- Attending OR party hosted by the gyne department
- Attending an out-of-town conference with one of my fellowship directors
- Eating lunch daily with whoever I am operating with — the food at the SJHC cafeteria is very amazing and there is a rare and wonderful culture here that prioritizes a sit-down lunch!
How would you describe your fellowship’s focus from a surgical standpoint?
Majority of the surgeries done by the SJHC MIGS team consist of endometriosis resection (with or without CO2 laser), total laparoscopic hysterectomies and laparoscopic myomectomies on large fibroid uteri with contained ExCITE morcellation.
What would you say to someone who is considering a MIGS fellowship?
For someone who is considering a MIGS fellowship, I would tell them that I have had a great experience and feel infinitely more confident in my surgical skills. I am very happy that I did this fellowship and very grateful to my mentors! You can tailor the fellowship to what will best serve you and your future patient population, so the fellowship is ideal regardless of your specific practice goals. I am very happy to chat further with anyone who may have questions (as long as you recommend a great coffee shop to meet at).
