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obgyn res research

Resident Research Curriculum and Opportunities

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAB is recognized as a leader in basic science, translational, and clinical research on a national level. This spirit of investigation and scholarly activity is fostered by the entire department. Resident research is a requirement and a part of the culture of the program. Guided by faculty mentors and sponsors, residents gain direct experience in graduate level research with the intended outcome of a clinically significant publication. This required research project culminates in a booklet of research abstracts from the PGY3 class and formal oral presentations by the PGY4 class at the annual Resident Research Day each Spring. It is not uncommon for residents to engage in multiple research projects beyond what is required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Residents are encouraged to submit their original research to regional and national conferences and have resources and funding available through the department to aid in covering costs.

Please refer to the website for the Center for Women’s Reproductive Health for more information on UAB’s efforts to promote interdisciplinary research within the Department.

Resident Research Program Directors

Holly E. Richter, PhD, MD, FACOG, FACS, Professor, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Ashley N. Battarbee, MD, MSCR, Assistant Professor, Maternal-Fetal Medicine


Student and Investigator Research Opportunities - Women's Reproductive Health/OBGYN

OB/GYN residents, fellows, or faculty with research projects who are seeking assistance from student researchers, please refer to the website for the Student and Investigator Research Opportunities for more information on our efforts to promote interdisciplinary research within the Department.


Resident Research Day Projects (2022-2023)

  • Dr. Allison Davis - Physiologic-Based Treatment of Severe Hypertensions in Pregnancy: A Physiologic Approach to hypertension
  • Dr. Tim Edwards - Factors Predictive of Preterm Birth Following History-Indicated Vaginal Cerclage
  • Dr. Peter Ketch - Increased Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening Associated with COVID-19 pandemic
  • Dr. Kaitlyn Kincaid - Impact of steroid use and glycemic control on postoperative complications in diabetic gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy
  • Dr. Claire McIlwraith - Recurrent Severe Maternal Morbidity in an Obstetric Patient Population with a high comorbidity burden
  • Dr. Sara Beth Norton - A Review of Maternal Outcomes in Placenta Accreta Spectrum at a Single Institution with a Multidisciplinary Team
  • Dr. Lindsay Rucker - Determining whether Timing of Subsequent Chemotherapy following use of a PARP Inhibitor among Ovarian Cancer Patients predicts Adverse Events
  • Dr. Kevin Shrestha - The Association of Increasing Maternal Body Mass Index on Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders

Resident Research Day Awards (2022-2023)

Best PGY3 Abstract

  • Dr. Tavonna Kako, Evaluating Differences Among PRAPARE Screening Assessments of Gynecology Oncology Patients and Socio-demographic Factors

Best PGY4 Presentation

  • Dr. Kaitlyn Kincaid, Impact of steroid use and glycemic control on postoperative complications in diabetic gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy

Recent Resident Publications

  • 2020

    Arend RC, Davis AM, Chimiczewski P, et al. EMR 20006-012: A phase II randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial comparing the combination of pimasertib (MEK inhibitor) with SAR245409 (PI3K inhibitor) to pimasertib alone in patients with previously treated unresectable borderline or low grade ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2020;156(2):301-307.

    Ausbeck EB, Jennings SF, Champion M, Gray M, Blanchard C, Tita AT, Harper LM. Perinatal Outcomes with Longer Second Stage of Labor: A Risk Analysis Comparing Expectant Management to Operative Intervention [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 24]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Bushman ET, Cozzi G, Sinkey RG, Smith CH, Varner MW, Digre K. Randomized Controlled Trials of Headache Treatments in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 2]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Bushman ET, Thompson N, Gray M, et al. Influence of Estimated Fetal Weight on Labor Management. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Sanjanwala AR, Jauk VC, Cozzi GD, et al. Outcomes before and after Adopting Guidelines for Expectant Management of Severe Preeclampsia [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 23]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Champion ML, Harper LM. Gestational Weight Gain: Update on Outcomes and Interventions. Curr Diab Rep. 2020;20(3):11. Published 2020 Feb 27.

    Melnikoff AK, Meyer I, Martin KD, Richter HE. Incontinence outcomes after "second primary" compared to repeat midurethral sling for recurrent and persistent stress urinary incontinence [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 25]. Int Urogynecol J. 2020

    Sinkey RG, Rajapreyar IN, Szychowski JM, Armour EK, Walker Z, Cribbs MG, Howard TF, Wetta LA, Subramaniam A, Tita AT.. Racial disparities in peripartum cardiomyopathy: eighteen years of observations [published online ahead of print, 2020 June 7]

    Walker Z, Perkins C, Harper L, Jauk V, Szychowski JM, Mazzoni S. The Effects of Antepartum Depressive Symptoms on Postcesarean Opioid Consumption [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 18]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Arend RC, Davis AM, Chimiczewski P, et al. EMR 20006-012: A phase II randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial comparing the combination of pimasertib (MEK inhibitor) with SAR245409 (PI3K inhibitor) to pimasertib alone in patients with previously treated unresectable borderline or low grade ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2020;156(2):301-307.

    Ausbeck EB, Jennings SF, Champion M, Gray M, Blanchard C, Tita AT, Harper LM. Perinatal Outcomes with Longer Second Stage of Labor: A Risk Analysis Comparing Expectant Management to Operative Intervention [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 24]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Bushman ET, Cozzi G, Sinkey RG, Smith CH, Varner MW, Digre K. Randomized Controlled Trials of Headache Treatments in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 2]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Bushman ET, Thompson N, Gray M, et al. Influence of Estimated Fetal Weight on Labor Management. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Sanjanwala AR, Jauk VC, Cozzi GD, et al. Outcomes before and after Adopting Guidelines for Expectant Management of Severe Preeclampsia [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 23]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

    Champion ML, Harper LM. Gestational Weight Gain: Update on Outcomes and Interventions. Curr Diab Rep. 2020;20(3):11. Published 2020 Feb 27.

    Melnikoff AK, Meyer I, Martin KD, Richter HE. Incontinence outcomes after "second primary" compared to repeat midurethral sling for recurrent and persistent stress urinary incontinence [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 25]. Int Urogynecol J. 2020

    Sinkey RG, Rajapreyar IN, Szychowski JM, Armour EK, Walker Z, Cribbs MG, Howard TF, Wetta LA, Subramaniam A, Tita AT.. Racial disparities in peripartum cardiomyopathy: eighteen years of observations [published online ahead of print, 2020 June 7]

    Walker Z, Perkins C, Harper L, Jauk V, Szychowski JM, Mazzoni S. The Effects of Antepartum Depressive Symptoms on Postcesarean Opioid Consumption [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 18]. Am J Perinatol. 2020

  • 2019

    Bernstock JD, Ostby S, Fox B, et al. Cauda equina syndrome in an ovarian malignant-mixed müllerian tumor with leptomeningeal spread. Clin Case Rep. 2019;7(12):2341-2345.

    Dockery LE, Rubenstein AR, Ding K, Mashburn SG, Burkett WC, Davis AM, Doo DW, Arend RC, Moore KN, Gunderson CC. Extending the platinum-free interval: The impact of omitting 2nd line platinum chemotherapy in intermediate platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2019;155(2):201-206.

    Melnikoff AK, Doo DW, Cohen AC, et al. Timing of robotic hysterectomy after cervical excisional procedure. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2019;29(7):1110-1115.

    Ostby SA, Evans JG, Smith HJ, Boitano TKL, Toboni MD, Heimann MA, Booth JS, Thomas JJ, Michael Straughn J Jr. Reducing emergency department (ED) computed tomography (CT) utilization in women treated for gynecologic cancers. Gynecol Oncol. 2020

    Ostby SA, Olushoga M, Leath CA 3rd, Burleson SL. Bowel Perforation in the Emergency Department Related to Bevacizumab Therapy and Recurrent Ovarian Cancer. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2020

    Ostby SA, Smith HJ, Leath CA 3rd. Pyridoxine for prevention and treatment of PARP inhibitor induced nausea and vomiting. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2019;29:123-125

  • 2018

    Arend RC, Toboni MD, Montgomery AM, et al. Systemic Treatment of Metastatic/Recurrent Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: A Changing Paradigm. Oncologist. 2018;23(12):1533-1545

    Barrington DA, Champion ML, Boitano TKL, et al. Characteristics of African American women at high-risk for ovarian cancer in the southeast: Results from a Gynecologic Cancer Risk Assessment Clinic. Gynecol Oncol. 2018;149(2):337-340.

    Boitano TKL, Barrington DA, Batra S, et al. Differences in referral patterns based on race for women at high -risk for ovarian cancer in the southeast: Results from a Gynecologic Cancer Risk Assessment Clinic. Gynecol Oncol. 2019;154(2):379-382.

    Boitano TKL, Smith HJ, Rushton T, et al. Impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol on gastrointestinal function in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy. Gynecol Oncol. 2018;151(2):282-286.

    Gentry ZL, Boitano TKL, Smith HJ, Eads DK, Russell JF, Straughn JM Jr. The financial impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in an academic gynecologic oncology practice. Gynecol Oncol. 2020;156(2):284-287.

    Liang MI, Pisu M, Summerlin SS, Boitano TKL, Blanchard CT, Bhatia S, Huh WK. Extensive financial hardship among gynecologic cancer patients starting a new line of therapy. Gynecol Oncol. 2020;156(2):271-277.

    Michael Straughn J Jr, Boitano T, Smith HJ, Dilley SE, Liang MI, Novak L. Treatment of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma in a nulligravid woman. Gynecol Oncol. 2018;151(1):6-9.