Obstetrics & Gynaecology | THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 2011 Annual Report MISSION STATEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 2 DEPARTMENT HEAD’S REPORT ................................................................................................................ 3 A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE DEPARTMENT ................................................ 5 RESEARCH ACTIVITY REPORT .................................................................................................................... 7 GOAL | Optimum health for the women of BC and their off spring. RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR ........................................................................................................................ 8 VALUES | To achieve our vision, we will be guided by the principle . EDUCATION PROGRAM REPORTS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM .................................................................................................................. 9 POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS ................................................................................................................... 10 ... everyone’s a teacher, everyone’s a learner. Residency Program ................................................................................................................................... 10 The Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (RDS) Program ............................................. 11 Fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery ......................................... 13 Fellowship in Gynaecologic Oncology ................................................................................................ 13 Fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine................................................................................................ 14 Fellowship in Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery ................. 15 Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility .......................................................... 16 BUSINESS & FINANCIAL REPORT ............................................................................................................. 17 DIVISION REPORTS General Obstetrics & Gynaecology ...................................................................................................... 19 Gynaecologic Oncology .......................................................................................................................... 21 Maternal Fetal Medicine .......................................................................................................................... 23 Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility ......................................................................................... 26 SITE REPORTS BC Women’s Hospital ................................................................................................................................ 28 St Paul’s Hospital ........................................................................................................................................ 31 Vancouver General Hospital .................................................................................................................. 33 Obstetrics & Gynaecology | The University of British Columbia | 2011 Annual Report 1 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS DEPARTMENT HEAD’S REPORT Geoff rey Cundiff , MD, FRCSC, FACOG, FACS Professor & Head, UBC Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology NEW PROFESSORSHIP LIFETIME HONOURS A CARING ACHIEVEMENT f you were asked to envision a cu ng edge, PHYSICIAN AWARD TO province-wide department of obstetrics and gynaecology, no doubt the fi rst images that would DR NELLY AUERSPERG I come to mind would be of wired classrooms, bustling hospitals with high-tech opera ng rooms, and expansive laboratories. fi nancial stability a priority and we have taken on new professorship in gynaecologic oncology has been r Nelly Auersperg is a pioneer of gynecological cancer In fact, our department does benefi t from such resources ini a ves that will help the department achieve fi nancial created at UBC in tribute to the late Chew Wei, a Hong research who has focused her career on advancing the throughout Bri sh Columbia, but this is not what defi nes security and sustainability. AKong physician. Dmedical community’s ability to detect ovarian cancer at our success. The asset that has allowed our department its early stages. In 1974, when she received the fi rst of many to embrace the distributed model, develop innova ve One such ini a ve is a campaign to increase the Dr Chew, who retired to Vancouver in 1988 and died in 2009, research grants from the Canadian Cancer Society, few others educa onal programs, and become an interna onally department’s endowments. This approach for fi es our practiced Obstetrics & Gynaecology for 38 years, and came to were studying the disease. This dearth of research meant that recognized leader in inves ga on, is our people. We are most important asset, our people, by providing base be dismayed by the prognosis for his patients who developed Dr Auersperg needed to develop many of the tools used to study rich in human resources. Our faculty members are funding for successful faculty members. Our department ovarian cancer. Though not a cancer specialist himself, he was the cancer in vitro herself, leading to discoveries that have pushing the envelope in many areas of science was very lucky this year to benefi t from the generosity of determined to do what he could — even posthumously — to increased our understanding of the disease and led to promising ranging from basic science to epidemiology. Our clinicians the family of Dr Chew Wei. Dr Chew prac ced Obstetrics improve outcomes for women faced with the disease. new possibilities for treatment and survival. span the full spectrum of women’s health care as do our & Gynaecology for 38 years and was disturbed by the educa onal programs. Moreover, our faculty members prognosis of his pa ents with ovarian cancer. He His family and friends wanted to honor those intentions by Throughout her career, Nelly has been a prolifi c researcher and and staff have taken on leadership roles throughout the recognized the need for further research into this donating $3 million to the Faculty of Medicine to endow the author, with more than 190 refereed journal articles and more health care system. To celebrate this valuable resource, disease, and to honor those inten ons, his family and Dr Chew Wei Memorial Professorship in the Department of than 11 book chapters to her name. She has also been a this report focuses on people. As you read through, you friends donated $3 million to create the Dr Chew Wei Obstetrics & Gynaecology. remarkable teacher, mentoring more than 60 graduate and will fi nd inset stories of the people and their successes. Memorial Professorship in the Department of Obstetrics post-graduate students over the years. Many of those who For example, our cover shows a newborn child – & Gynaecology. Following a compe ve process, the Born and raised in Malaysia, Dr Chew earned his medical benefi ted from her tutelage have forged successful research refl ec ng one of our missions in women’s health care. department has chosen Dr David Huntsman as the fi rst degree and specialist degrees at the University of Hong Kong careers of their own. This infant is James, the new son of Dr Elisabet Joa, our Dr Chew Wei Professor. Dr Huntsman and his colleagues and the University of London. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he Postgraduate Program Director. at OvCare are leading research in ovarian cancer. His was a lecturer at the University of Hong Kong and served as act- Nelly’s incredible achievements have not gone unrecognized by team, which includes many members of our Division of ing Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology before her peers or society at large. In 2008, Simon Fraser University Recognizing our people as our greatest resource, the Gynaecologic Oncology, has shown that up to two thirds going into private practice. He also served as President of the awarded her with an honorary degree and in 2007 she received department is striving to create an environment in which of high grade ovarian cancers begin in the fallopian tube. university’s medical society. the UBC Faculty of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award. In our people will fl ourish. This requires an organiza onal Using this informa on they have designed new programs 1985 she was named a Terry Fox Research Scientist and in 2003 structure that embraces our diverse yet linked goals in to prevent ovarian cancer, and are exploring new ways “UBC’s Faculty of Medicine is enormously grateful for the the BC Women’s Hospital established the Nelly Auersperg Award educa on, research, and clinical care. It must be fl exible to treat the disease. Dr Huntsman’s exper se in the fi eld generosity of Dr Chew’s family and friends,” says Gavin Stuart, in Women’s Health Research. enough to span the diff erent sites across the province and his established collabora on with our department Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Vice-Provost, Health at UBC. and should empower faculty members rather than members made him the logical choice for this “I remain in my clinical role as a member of our ovarian cancer Nelly’s work continued long after her offi cial retirement from hamper their eff orts. To accomplish this, the department professorship and we are very pleased to have him in team here in BC, and