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Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship

First-year fellow Annelise Wilhite, M.D.

Gyn/onc fellow Annelise Wilhite, M.D., is shown using the da Vinci Surgical System.

 

Learn more about residencies and fellowships at the University of South Alabama and life on the Gulf Coast.

 

We offer a remarkable experience for our fellows and are looking for candidates who want to grow from that experience into physicians who make a difference in the world.

USA Health is the only academic medical center in lower Alabama and includes Children’s & Women’s Hospital; University Hospital with a Level I trauma, stroke and burn center; and the Mitchell Cancer Institute, a fully academic cancer and research center. Here we serve a remarkably diverse patient base, and we seek fellows with diverse backgrounds interested in health disparities, cancer prevention and/or quality-based research. 

Fellows will receive education and training in patient care, radical surgery, and inpatient and outpatient management of acute gynecologic oncology conditions. This includes training in critical care, radical pelvic surgery and reconstruction, robotic surgery for Gyn cancers, and acute management of medical and surgical emergencies. Didactics include weekly grand rounds, monthly morbidity and mortality conferences, journal club, and weekly didactic presentations resulting in well-trained and well-prepared Gyn oncologists. 

Participation in research and teaching experiences prepares those who are interested in academic medicine. Our funded, dedicated Gynecologic Oncology Basic and Translational Research Laboratory embedded in the division sets us apart from many other programs in terms of depth of research and prolific publication activity. 

Our fellows have the opportunity to work directly with an array of sub-specialty experts and will benefit from close contact with faculty who provide both clinical supervision and expertise, as well as rewarding mentorship. We see a high volume of Gyn oncology patients, many of them high acuity. Our service area includes some of the sickest and most disenfranchised patients in the developed world, an issue we work diligently to alleviate.

Fellowship is not all about work, and we pride ourselves on building friendships within the large University of South Alabama family. Mobile is a wonderful place to live with many cultural and recreational opportunities that provide a wide variety of activities. It’s a port city full of arts, sports, universities, festivities and beach access. Mobile prides itself on being the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the U.S. 

After enjoying three years of training in Mobile, you can leave our fellowship program ready to serve patients anywhere in the world, whether you choose a sophisticated urban environment or work in a low-resource setting. 

While fellows work closely with attending staff, they govern many aspects of the program as they set schedules, select research projects, and choose elective rotations, all while developing their leadership skills. We are always looking for new initiatives and programs to make the lives of our fellows and our patients better and more fulfilling.

We invite you to consider becoming part of the USA Health team.

Apply Now

 

▼   Program Aims
  • Provide exceptional medical, surgical and clinical training for physicians specializing in gynecologic oncology. 

  • Provide an environment that promotes inquiry, scholarship and quality across the patient-care continuum. 

  • Promote lifelong learning throughout fellowship and beyond by supporting faculty and graduate development.
▼   Overview

The Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program is a three-year program designed to provide the fellow with the education, training and clinical skills necessary to pursue an academic career in Gynecologic Oncology. Teaching facilities include the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital and USA Health University Hospital. 

All fellows are required to participate in research and teaching to prepare for sub-specialty training and a career in academic medicine. Fellows are expected to present research at regional and national conferences and to prepare manuscripts for publication.

▼   Program Faculty

Gynecologic Oncology Faculty

Jennifer Y. Pierce, M.D., M.P.H.

Jennifer Y. Pierce, M.D., M.P.H.

Professor

Fellowship Program Director

Division Director, Mitchell Cancer Institute

Abraham A. Mitchell Clinical Cancer Research Scholar

Publications

Nathaniel Jones, M.D.

Nathaniel Jones, M.D.

Associate Professor

Associate Fellowship Program Director

Publications

Kevin Joseph

Kevin Lee, Ph.D. 

Assistant Professor of Research 

Director of Gynecologic Oncology Research

Publications

 

Ayesha Munir M.D.

Ayesha Munir M.D.

Assistant Professor

Breast & Oncology

Publications

 

 

 


▼   Program Structure

We offer a fully integrated, three-year gynecologic oncology program. The first year consists of research on site at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. Fellows will report to the gynecologic oncology lab daily to participate in all aspects of ongoing translational research projects. Lab meetings are held weekly, and fellows will participate in all didactic activities.

During years two and three, fellows will alternate between one week of inpatient rotations including rounds, surgeries and consultations at USA Health hospitals and one week of outpatient rotation at faculty and fellow clinics at MCI. Both experiences will include protected didactic time and fellows’ continuity clinic,

Years two and three also include short specialty rotations related to gynecologic oncology and three hours of research per week. Specialty rotations include four weeks in colorectal surgery and four weeks in outpatient radiation oncology at MCI, including patient visits, consultations, simulation, radiation treatment planning and brachytherapy insertion. Additional 1-2 week elective rotations can be arranged in palliative care, urology, critical care and pathology. All clinical fellows will participate in a fellows' continuity clinic bi-weekly. 

Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Block Diagram [PDF]

▼   Education

Fellows have formal education through clinical teaching, tumor boards, didactic lectures and other educational conferences. In addition, fellows have access to both online and hardbound textbooks, journals, UpToDate, the SGO online educational series, and self-study educational time. 

Fellows assume progressive responsibility during the fellowship by serving as resident teachers and mentors. All cases are performed by residents and fellows with attending supervision. Fellows supervise the residents and help instruct them on the care of patients postoperatively and with complex medical problems. The gynecologic oncology outpatient clinics add more than 800 new patients per year to the GYN oncology practice, yielding 800 to 900 surgical cases per year. 

MCI houses the only gynecologic oncology division program in a 150-mile radius. We are the only fellowship on the Gulf coast between Houston and Tampa. We serve a catchment area of approximately 4 million people across 53 counties in three states. This allows fellows and residents to be exposed to a wide variety of patients and clinical cases.  

▼   Research Opportunities

Fellows will conduct basic science and translational research in the Gynecologic Oncology Basic and Translational Research Laboratory at the Mitchell Cancer Institute. The main MCI location consists of a 125,000-square-foot comprehensive oncology care and research center.

Three core basic science programs are emphasized: DNA damage and repair, drug discovery, and cancer metabolism. Shared resources include animal facilities, flow cytometry, genomics, proteomics, cell imaging, histology and electron microscopy, among others. 

Fellows and faculty also have access to the University of South Alabama Translational Science Resource Center, which provides support for translational research including bioinformatics and statistical support and partners in the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS). Fellows will have a wide breadth of research support and collaboration. The laboratory receives intramural and extramural funding to study racial disparities and cancer outcomes related to socioeconomic, molecular and other factors.

In addition to translational research fellows have the opportunity to participate in clinical research, research in cancer prevention, quality, and survivorship. Our division focuses on disparities in outcomes as well as opportunity and continually seeks ways to overcome these. Fellows participate in all aspects of clinical trials including patient recruitment, enrollment, monitoring, and documentation.

▼   Program Highlights
▼   Meet Our Fellows

Third-Year Fellow


Tanvi V. Joshi, M.D.

Tanvi V. Joshi, M.D.

Medical School: The Ohio State College of Medicine 

Residency: Abington-Jefferson Health

Publications: PubMed.gov

 

 

Second-Year Fellow


Sagar Chokshi, D.O., M.S.

Sagar Chokshi, D.O., M.S.

Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Residency: Cooper University Hospital

Publications: PubMed.gov

 

First-Year Fellow


Mackinze Cummings, M.D.

Mackinze Cummings, M.D. 

Medical School: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine 

Residency: Abington Memorial Hospital  

Publications: PubMed.gov

 

 

Alumni


Annelise Wilhite, M.D.

Annelise Wilhite, M.D.

Medical School: University of Virginia

Residency: University of Minnesota

Publications: PubMed.gov

Class: 2024

 

 

▼   Applications

We accept applications through ERAS to the University of South Alabama Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship program. We utilize the SGO Program Directors Network common application deadline. All interviews will be conducted virtually until further notice.

The following items are required for a complete application:

  • CV
  • Photo
  • Medical school transcript
  • USMLE transcript
  • MSPE
  • Personal statement
  • 3 letters of recommendation, preferably including: Chair, Program Director and at least one using SGO Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Standardized Evaluation form
  • CREOG scores
  • Outside institution evaluations for gyn oncology as a resident 

Supplemental materials to the application can be emailed to acreed@health.southalabama.edu.  

Verification of Training: Please email Angelique Reed for a Verification of training request at acreed@health.southalabama.edu. 

▼   Contact Us

Program Director: Jennifer Y. Pierce, M.D., M.P.H. - jypierce@health.southalabama.edu

Associate Program Director: Nathaniel Jones, M.D.

Program Coordinator: Angelique Reed - acreed@health.southalabama.edu 

Telephone: (251) 445-9895

Mailing Address:
USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
1660 Springhill Ave., Mobile, AL 36604