Career Development Program

In 1999 the UW’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology was one of 20 Ob/Gyn sites chosen nationwide and funded for a 5-yr period by the National Institutes of Health to be a Women’s Reproductive Health Research Career Development Training Center. Funding has been renewed through 2014.

The long-term goal of the UW WRHR program is to recruit and facilitate the career development of obstetrician gynecologists who have demonstrated research potential and are committed to a career in academic medicine. The University of Washington program is unique in its broad approach to the WRHR career development award. We have assembled an internationally renowned mentor group from an exceptionally wide range of disciplines. Scholars build collaborative teams, with obstetrics and gynecology research as the core activity. The end result is an individually tailored educational program, unlike most fellowships available in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

The principle training format is a mentored experience with a successful investigator (clinical or basic research) for a minimum of two, but up to five, years. During this period, the scholar devotes 80% of their time to research. The research scope is open for the scholar and mentor to direct, and encompasses all areas of obstetrics and gynecology and its subspecialties. As of 2006, 106 scholars nationwide have been accepted into the program. The UW Ob/Gyn Department can support a maximum of three scholars at any given time.

For further information, go to:

• www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/wrhr.cfm
• www.wrhrscholars.org/about.html

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Eligibility Requirements

• MD or MD/PhD with completed Ob/Gyn residency (completed fellowship optional)
• No previous NIH independent research awards (R01, R03) or more than 3 years on a K award
• United States citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent citizen with verification of legal admission
• Individuals from under-represented backgrounds are encouraged to apply

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Salary Support & Appointment

• Appointments are for a minimum of two and maximum of five years
• Salary support will be at the instructor/assistant professor level
• Additional $25,000 annually for research support/course work

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Scholars

Currently Funded Scholars

• Caroline M Mitchell, MD, MPH, Women’s Health (Mentor—Lisa M Frenkel, MD)
  HIV-1 in the Female Genital Tract
  (August 2006–July 2010)
• Hilary S Gammill, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Mentor—J Lee Nelson, MD)
  Immunologic Maladaptation and Microchimerism in Preeclampsia
  (January 2007–December 2011)

Past Scholars

• Jennifer A Unger, MD, MPH, Women's Health (Mentor—Grace C John Stewart, MD, MPH, PhD)
  The Immunologic Factors Involved in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Related to Malarial Infection
  (August 2007–April 2009)
• Michael F Fialkow, MD, MPH, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (Mentor—Noel S Weiss, MD, DrPH)
  Epidemiology of Recurrent Pelvic Organ Prolapse
  (July 2004–July 2007)
• Kristina M Adams Waldorf, MD, Women’s Health (Mentor—J Lee Nelson, MD)
  The Maternal-Fetal Immune Response to Preterm Labor
  (July 2002–December 2006)
• Jennifer L Melville, MD, MPH, Women’s Health (Mentor—Edward A Walker, MD)
  Depression and Obstetric-Gynecologic Disorders
  (July 1999 to March 2004)
• Elizabeth M Swisher, MD, Gynecologic Oncology (Mentor—Mary-Claire King, MD)
  Molecular Markers in Ovarian Cancer
  (July 1999 to September 2002)
• Susan D Reed, MD, MPH, Women’s Health (Mentor—Noel S Weiss, MD, DrPh)
  Steroid Hormones and Uterine Neoplasms
  (July 1999 to July 2001)
• S Samuel Kim, MD, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (Mentor—Michael R Soules, MD)
  Ovarian Cryopreservation and Transplantation
  (July 1999 to July 2001)

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Scientific Mentors

Current Mentors

Potential Mentors (pending NIH approval)

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How to Apply

Contact Administrative Assistant Andrea Felt by email (felta@u.washington.edu) with your indication of interest and include:

• Brief statement of research and career plans
• Curriculum vitae or biosketch

Eligible candidates will then be encouraged to send an application form (due February 1, 2010). Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

For further information, contact:

• Dr. Susan Reed (Research Program Director)
• Dr. Elizabeth Swisher (Scientific Advisor)
• Dr. David Eschenbach (PI)

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