Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship
NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery is a two-year American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL)–accredited program that provides comprehensive subspeciality training in advanced endoscopic techniques and the management of complex benign gynecologic conditions. The overall goal of the fellowship is to graduate gynecologists with advanced surgical skills in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS) so that they may serve as independent consultants.
Under the mentorship of MIGS fellowship–trained faculty, our fellows play an active role in the clinical care of patients, participate in education, and engage in research. Specifically, fellows complete an original data-driven research project, learn advanced gynecologic office skills, engage in surgical teaching and leadership, and learn the advanced surgical skills necessary to perform complex laparoscopic, robotic, vaginal, and hysteroscopic gynecologic procedures.
Fellows’ Role in Patient Care
Fellows obtain experience in the evaluation and appropriate selection of medical or surgical treatment in the management of complex gynecologic conditions. These treatments and conditions include the following:
- abnormal uterine bleeding
- uterine fibroids
- uterine anomalies
- endometriosis
- benign ovarian neoplasms
- chronic pelvic pain
- infertility
- gender-affirming surgery
Fellows are exposed to a large volume of both simple and advanced endoscopic procedures under the mentorship of MIGS fellowship–trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons. This includes office-based procedures such as office hysteroscopy as well as advanced hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, robotic, and vaginal surgery. Approximately 50 percent of cases are performed with robotic assistance. Fellows also have the opportunity to work alongside colorectal, urologic, female pelvic medicine, and reconstructive surgeons, and interventional radiologists.
Fellows have the opportunity to be involved in complex surgical cases ranging from minimally invasive procedures to advanced laparotomy. In addition, fellows are exposed to vaginal natural orifice transendoscopic surgery (VNOTES). With regards to hysteroscopic procedures, fellows participate in both office-based and operating room–based diagnostic and operative cases. This includes multistage hysteroscopic myomectomies, uterine septum resections, and isthmocele repair.
Fellows are also responsible for the routine gynecologic care of NYU Langone patients. Specifically, fellows provide clinical care to patients as a benign gynecologist in their own continuity clinic.
Fellows have emergency department call responsibilities intermittently throughout the year. This allows our fellows to act as a junior gynecology attending where they will care for all patients on the resident gynecologic service, provide emergency department and hospital consultations, and perform basic gynecologic procedures.
Academic Opportunities and Conferences
NYU OBGYN Grand Rounds
Weekly Grand Rounds feature presentations from within our department as well as many distinguished visiting guest speakers.
NYU OBGYN Morbidity and Mortality Conference and Clinical Case Presentations
Interesting cases from each service are presented weekly by residents or fellows. This is followed by lively and thoughtful discussion among faculty as well as consulting services.
Gynecology Preoperative Conference
The gynecology services at both NYU Tisch and NYU Brooklyn meet weekly to discussed planned surgical procedures from the MIGS division. This is an opportunity to ensure appropriate case selection and perioperative evaluation, as well as provide our trainees with insight on how to prepare patients for surgery.
MIGS–Radiology Conference
Our MIGS faculty and NYU radiologists meet monthly to review imaging and surgical approach. This facilitates multidisciplinary care for our patients and allows our fellows to learn more about different imaging modalities.
MIGS Journal Club
Our MIGS faculty and fellows discuss landmark research articles, recent publications, and noteworthy cases on a monthly basis.
MIGS Fellow Lecture Series–Faculty Didactics
Core MIGS faculty provide lectures to supplement experiences gained on clinical rotations. This rounds our comprehensive post-graduate subspecialty curriculum for the fellows.
FMIGS and AAGL Webinars
Fellows are expected to attend all AAGL-FMIGS webinars.
Research and Resources
In accordance with AAGL-FMIGS requirements, our fellows are expected to conduct and complete an independent research project that should result in a presentation at a national meeting as well as publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Time for research is built into the fellow weekly schedule.
The fellow will be expected to participate and attend AAGL-FMIGS webinars, FMIGS bootcamp, and the AAGL annual conference.
All the fellowships in our department are invited to our Ob/Gyn Fellowship Council social and educational events, where universal topics such as writing a manuscript, negotiating a contract, and how to initiate and complete a successful QI project are discussed in a group setting. Fellows will also participate in a two-week research bootcamp where key topics such as research design, data extraction, and statistical analysis will be taught by research faculty.
Teaching
Fellows will actively work alongside obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) residents and be involved in their day-to-day GYN education. Over the course of the two-year MIGS fellowship, the fellow will learn to teach trainees and operating room staff the necessary components to run a high-functioning and efficient team. In addition, the fellow will participate in the GYN simulation curriculum both as a learner and a teacher. This offers our fellows and residents a safe learning environment to master basic and more advanced GYN surgical skills such as laparoscopic suturing and knot tying, Essentials in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (EMIGS), Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), and Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery.
Facilities
NYU Langone is a high-volume, tertiary care center with a large referral base. Fellows train at two sites:
We have eight AAGL-FMIGS fellowship–trained surgeons who are full-time faculty between our two locations. The MIGS faculty are actively involved in NYU Langone’s Endometriosis Center and Center for Fibroid Care.
Rotation Schedule
In FMIGS Year 1, the fellow will spend approximately 2.5 days per week in the operating room rotating between our two sites. Approximately 1.5 days per week will be dedicated to the fellow’s continuity clinic, 0.5 days per week dedicated to shadowing a MIGS faculty attending in their continuity clinic, and 0.5 days per week dedicated to research.
In FMIGS Year 2, the fellow will no longer spend time shadowing MIGS faculty in the office setting, and will dedicate one full day to research per week.
Application and Interview
We accept one fellow every other year. Applications for our two-year MIGS fellowship are only accepted through the AAGL application site. Interviews will be scheduled in accordance with FMIGS Board guidelines. Candidates are matched through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants who wish to begin training in August 2025 will be interviewed by invitation in the summer of 2024.
It is not necessary to separately submit any items that are already contained in a candidate’s AAGL application. For those with additional items that are not in their AAGL application, please email them as PDF documents to Deirdre K. Stieglitz, administrative coordinator, at Deirdre.Stieglitz@NYULangone.org. Give each PDF file a simple descriptive name that includes a last name (surname), for example, “Smith CREOG Scores PGY1-3.pdf.”
NYU Langone and NYU Grossman School of Medicine are committed to maintaining an environment that is supportive and conducive to learning, in which fellows have the opportunity to raise concerns and provide feedback without intimidation or retaliation in a confidential manner. Fellows may contact their program director, associate program director, designated institutional officer, or associate dean for graduate medical education, and/or the Office of Graduate Medical Education to discuss any issues of concern. A compliance hotline is also available to all members of the institution to allow for confidential, anonymous reporting of activities. Fellows may also raise concerns via the NYU Langone House Staff Leadership Committee and House Staff Patient Safety Council.
NYU Langone does not exclude from participation, deny benefits to, or engage in discrimination against any person employed or seeking employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender dysphoria, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or parental status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Our Team
Hye-Chun Hur, MD
Program Director
Catherine W. Chan, MD
Associate Program Director
Deirdre K. Stieglitz
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Core MIGS Faculty
Learn more about the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.
Meet our current MIGS fellow: Danial J. Ceasar, MD.
Contact Us
For additional information about our fellowship, please contact Deirdre K. Stieglitz, administrative coordinator, at 212-263-5198 or Deirdre.Stieglitz@NYULangone.org.
