City of Tampa proclamation kicks off the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Resident Research Day

L to R: USF President Judy Genshaft, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO of USF Health and Dean, College of Medicine

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn kicked off the USF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s 2011 Resident Research Day by recognizing USF Health for providing superior women’s care across the region and proclaiming June 17, 2011, as “Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Day” in the City of Tampa.

Buckhorn read the proclamation before an audience of dozens of faculty, residents and staff members gathered in McInnes Auditorium at Tampa General Hospital.  He recognized that USF Health offers the first (and currently only) nationally accredited fellowship training program in Florida for female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. The first fellow to graduate from that program, Dr. Renee Bassaly, will join the faculty of USF Ob/Gyn later this summer.

L to R:  Dr. Stuart Hart, Dr. Lennox Hoyte, Dr. Renee Bassaly (first fellow to graduate from USF’s Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery training program), Dr. Catherine Lynch, Dr. Stephen Klasko and Dr. Jerry Yankowitz.

The USF Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery has helped women across the state overcome complex pelvic floor disorders and spearheaded training  physicians in treating women with pelvic floor disorders through its pioneering fellowship program.

Buckhorn was joined on stage by Dr. Bassaly and a leadership team that included USF President Judy Genshaft; Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO for USF Health and dean of the College of Medicine; Catherine Lynch, MD, associate vice president for Women’s Health and director of the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology;  Dr. Jerry Yankowitz, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Dr. Lennox Hoyte, associate professor and director of the Division of Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery; Stuart Hart, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the division; and Ron Hytoff, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital.

Both President Genshaft and Dr. Klasko addressed the crowd with words of praise for the work they do.

“I am very proud of you and proud of the program,” Genshaft said.  “Congratulations to all of you.”

Dr. Klasko pointed to the accomplishment of the nationally accredited training program. “It’s one of the things that really makes USF special,” he said.

Following the proclamation, 10 Ob/Gyn residents presented their research on topics ranging from complications of obesity in pregnancy and education in gynecologic robotic surgery to trends in prenatal and postpartum contraception counseling. 

Dr. Jeanmarie Texier presents her research to fellow Ob/Gyn residents and faculty.

Featured speaker Dr. Michael Finan, professor and chief of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of South Alabama, delivered the First Annual William N. Spellacy Lecture on “Potential Pitfalls and Traps in the Practice of Gynecology.  Dr. Finan is an alumnus of the USF Ob/Gyn residency program, serving as its chief resident in 1989-90 and winning the first-place Resident Research Award in 1990.

Story by Susanna Martinez Tarokh, and photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications.  Anne DeLotto Baier contributed to this story.