THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
UNM OB-GYN Alumni News AUTUMN 2020
Dear Friends,
Looking back on March, we have come a long way in living and working during a pandemic. Our thoughts are with those who have worked so hard during this time to provide optimal care, with all the changes, personal and professional, that you have had to make. A special shout out to those with school age children who are dealing with childcare and remote schooling. Hope this newsletter finds everyone safe and healthy in phase of slow burning pandemic. We’ve had a busy summer and in fall, we are embracing our new virtual normalcy. 
SOME HIGHLIGHTS:

Complex Family Planning is an ACGME accredited subspecialty
Both ABOG and the ACGME have approved Complex Family Planning as a subspecialty. Our fellowship at UNM, started 10 years ago and going strong, is applying for subspecialty accreditation. We are proud to have trained residents and fellows in this critical subspecialty.

A shout out to our two current fellows, Dr. Anwar Jackson and Dr. Lindsay Dale who are working in the areas of clinical care, education, research, advocacy and public health, including community engagement.
Dr. Dale’s research explores implementation of pharmacy access to hormonal contraception nationally.
Dr. Jackson’s research looks at management of miscarriage in rural New Mexico settings.
Anti-Racism Work

I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Maria Montoya, a graduate of both UNM Medical School and OB-GYN residency and now a highly valued faculty member, will be leading our Department Racial Equity/Diversity/Inclusion Committee to implement anti-racism approaches throughout our Departmental processes. 


Dr. Brenda Pereda, Assistant Dean for Diversity at the School of Medicine, is working on all our hiring processes (residents, fellows, and faculty) to reduce bias and increase diversity.
The 51st Annual Women’s Health Conference will be Virtual

And the show will go on! We’re excited to present an abbreviated meeting this year. The dates are February 19-20, 2021 and we will feature both local and national speakers, as well as our ACOG business meeting – hope to see you there!

Please consider donating to our alumni fund to support our residents.

Eve Espey, MD, MPH
Chairperson and Professor
Class of 1979 Alumni News from Nancy Kerr, MD, MPH

Following residency I moved to Gallup, NM and worked with IHS for two years, back when the preeclampsia rate was 20%, cervical cancer was not rare, and tuberculosis still was a cause of infertility.

I then returned to work in various venues in Albuquerque—HMO and private practice, while continuing to teach UNM med students and residents who rotated through my practice.

After closing my practice, I did locum tenens around the Southwest, mostly rural and IHS locations. I decided to do international work, so went to London and earned a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the London School, along with an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Serving with the NM-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team, I delivered many babies and took care of miscarriages in Port-au Prince, Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. We had oxytocin, but no blood products or blood typing capability. I then moved to teaching and conducting research in Nepal and Papua, New Guinea, as well as assisting in procuring portable ultrasounds and other medical equipment for remote hospitals and clinics. 

My most recent publication is “Obstetric hemorrhage in resource-limited locations: A quality improvement project after adoption of abdominopelvic compression devices” in Int J Gynecol Obstet, June 2020. My next move is trying to obtain FDA approval for the “Ball and Binder” device. I am currently president of my local Rotary club. And to think that some of my patients worried that I might get bored after closing my private practice!
Dr. Alan Waxman Transitions to Community Faculty

Dr. Alan Waxman is Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNM SOM and ended his status as working retiree recently.  We are truly fortunate that Dr. Waxman will continue his educational contributions as volunteer faculty. Dr. Waxman joined us in 2000 after completing a 24-year distinguished career with the Indian Health Service (IHS) - U.S. Public Health Service at the Gallup Indian Medical Center. From 1994-2000, he served as IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Obstetrics and Gynecology.  
 
Dr. Waxman’s principal area of interest since 1991 has been cervical cancer screening and prevention.  He served on numerous committees of ASCCP including 14 years on the Board of Directors and was the Society’s President 2012-2013. In 2018 he was awarded ASCCP’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Since 2000, Dr. Waxman has served as IHS liaison and special consultant to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) Committee on American Indian /Alaska Native Women’s health. He also served on ACOG’s Committee on Healthcare for Underserved Women and was Chair 2008-2010. In 2019 Dr. Waxman was awarded ACOG’s International Service Award.  
 
We are indebted to Dr. Waxman for his years of service to our Department and state and the work he has done globally to improve women's health.
DIVISION CHIEF Peter Jeppson, MD
Dr. Jeppson is the Division Chief of Urogynecology. He is the Program Chair for the American Urogynecologic Society’s annual meeting. He is also the Abstract Review Chair for the Society of Gynecologic Surgeon’s annual meeting.

The Division of Urogynecology continues to grow and thrive. We now have 5 full-time urogynecology attendings. All of us are involved in clinical activities and are happy to see and treat patients with pelvic floor disorders. We are also actively engaged in academic activities; I will highlight some of those in this update.  

  • We were pleased to welcome Dr. Kate Meriwether back to UNM. She is one of our former fellows and rejoins our faculty after spending several years at the University of Louisville. She is the Scientific Chair for the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, and received funding to evaluate patient and community perspectives on the treatment of chronic pelvic pain.  

  • Dr. Cara Ninivaggio rejoined us two years ago, she was also a prior fellow with us. She left and spent a year at Cleveland Clinic and then came back to New Mexico. She is the Quality and Safety Officer for the Department and was accepted into the UNM Medical Leadership academy this year. She is also the assistant program director of our fellowship.

  • Dr. Gena Dunivan is the program director for our fellowship. She was also promoted to be the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education (GME) for the entire Health Sciences Center. She is also Scientific Chair for the American Urogynecologic Society.

  • Dr. Yuko Komesu has semi-retired; however she remains very engaged in research as the Vice Chair of Research for the Department and has been the Grant Review Chair for the American Urogynecologic Society. In addition, she is the Department Chair of the Promotion & Tenure Committee.

  • We have 3 fellows: Drs. Nicholas Rockefeller, Tasha Serna-Gallegos, and Sierra Jansen. Dr. Rockefeller and Dr. Serna-Gallegos are on the steering committee for the Fellow’s Pelvic Research Network (for both SGS and AUGS).

  • In just the past year we have published over 30 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. With several ongoing research projects.

The Division of Urogynecology is so appreciative of our ongoing relationships with our alumni throughout the state and region. We are honored to care for the patients you entrust to our care and we look forward to continued collaborations with you and your patients in the years to come.
CONGRATULATIONS UNM OBGYN CLASS OF 2020!
RESIDENTS
Alis Asatryan, MD
Undergraduate: University of California-Berkeley
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Where to next? Generalist, Bishop’s Peak Women’s Health, San Luis Obispo, CA
Liz Garchar, MD
Undergraduate: The University of New Mexico
Medical School: UNM School of Medicine
Where to next? MFM Fellowship, UNM School of Medicine
Brenna McGuire, MD
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Medical School: UNM School of Medicine
Where to next? Assistant Professor, Dept. of OB/Gyn, UNM School of Medicine
Charlotte Pickett, MD
Undergraduate: Pitzer College
Medical School: University of California-Davis
Where to next? Fellowship, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Indiana University SOM, Indianapolis
FELLOWS
FAMILY PLANNING
Maritza Rivera-Montalvo, MD, MPH
Residency: Hospital, San Lucas Ponce, Puerto Rico
Where to next? OB-Gyn Faculty, Women’s Group of North Florida-University of Central Florida Consortium, Gainesville, FL
MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE
Jose Perez Yordan, MD
Residency: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Where to next? MFM group, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL
FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
Lauren Barnes, MD
Residency: BWH/MGH Partners Residency Program, Harvard Medical School
Where to next? Urogynecologist, Complete Women Care, Long Beach, CA
UNM School of Medicine OBGYN alumni do amazing things, and we want to hear your story!

Read about alumni achievements and submit your own at
The UNM OBGYN Resident and Fellow Alumni Society
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