Maricopa Integrated Health System

For information contact:

Elaine Hapner, Residency Coordinator
Elaine.hapner@mihs.org
Phone: (602) 344-5084

Sabrina Soto, Clerkship Coordinator
Sabrina.soto@mihs.org
Phone: (602) 344-5444

Blanca-Flor Jimenez, MAOM, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator
Blanca-flor_jimenez@dmgaz.org
Phone: (602) 344-5439

 

Information

Click on a link below for information about the Department of Obstetrics / Gynecology:

• Chairman's Comments
• Residency Training Program- What is PIROG
• Program Overview
• Overall Residency Concept
• What Makes PIROG Excellent?
• Teaching Plan
• Research
• Experiential Learning
• Post-Grad Years:
• PGY I (1st Year Res)
• PGY II (2nd Year Res)
• PGY III (3rd Year Res)
• PGY IV (4th Year Res)
• Continuity Clinics
• Faculty
• Application & Residency Selection
• For More Information
• Resident Contracts & Application Policies

Chairman's Comments

Our close "family" relationship is a hallmark of this program. We seek candidates who are bright, mature, sensitive, and happy - who desire the pursuit of excellence, possess dedication to patients, and the enjoyment of family life which we all cherish. Selection of a residency program is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. You owe it to yourself to ensure that you evaluate carefully, in each program, the aspects mentioned above.

Phoenix Integrated Residency Program in Obstetrics & Gynecology

Residency Training Program - What is PIROG?

PIROG is the Phoenix Integrated Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, a four-year residency program, fully accredited by the ACGME that is integrated between two Medical Centers:

• Maricopa Medical Center (MMC)
• St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center (SJH)

 

PIROG trains physicians to be capable of independent practice in our specialty, to be eligible for competitive fellowship programs, and to function as leaders in the community. The structure of our program allows the resident to gain experience by caring for service, non-profit, and private patient populations. Both institutions are committed to high quality post-graduate education and academic excellence. The Obstetrics Services at both hospitals combined have over 10000 deliveries per year (35% high risk). Both hospitals are tertiary care centers and receive maternal-transport patients. The large OB/GYN services are cared for by the full-time and parttime attending staff, our OB/GYN house-officers, Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine residents, Certified Nurse-Midwives, fourth-year medical students on elective rotations, and third-year medical students from the University of Arizona and Creighton University School of Medicine.

Resident's who graduate from our program have received surgical instruction and experience in patient care covering the entire spectrum of gynecology and obstetric practice. Our graduates are proficient in those areas outlined by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as the Residency Review Committee of the ACGME.

Program Overview

Our program is a collaborative effort of the Maricopa Integrated Health System (Maricopa Medical Center) and St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.

In addition, affiliations with the following institutions round out a program that provides the residency with a balanced experience encompassing managed care, private practice, critical care, ambulatory and primary/preventive care.

• University of Arizona Medical School
• Scottsdale Healthcare Shea
• Phoenix Baptist Hospital
• OB/GYN Consultants, Ltd.
• Fertility Treatment Center
• Banner Samaritan SurgiCenter
• Arizona Vulvar Clinic
• John C. Lincoln Health Network
• Banner Desert Samaritan Medical Center
• Valley Urogynecological Association

Phoenix Integrated Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology (PIROG) is a four-year residency, fully accredited by the ACGME. We are proud of our program's dedication to academic excellence, compassionate care, professional ethics and family/community values.

Maricopa Medical Center (MMC) is a 450 bed public hospital with OB suites, LDRs, Neonatal units, and Ambulatory Clinical Facilities. Two inpatient psychiatric facilities have a total of nearly 200 beds. The Maricopa Integrated Health System serves patients of lower economic means. Service is provided through a system of family health centers, and financial counselors support patients in determining their method of payment, including the Maricopa Health Plan, which is also part of the health care system.

St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center (SJH) the oldest hospital in Phoenix, AZ is a 576 bed private, non-profit hospital associated with Catholic Healthcare West. It also has recently renovated OB, LDR, and Neonatal units.

The structure of our program allows the resident to gain experience by caring for service, non-profit, and private patient populations. Both institutions are committed to high quality post-graduate education and academic excellence. The Obstetrics Services at both hospitals combined have over 10000 deliveries per year (35% high risk). Both hospitals are tertiary care centers and receive maternal-transport patients. The large OB/GYN services are cared for by the full-time and part-time attending staff, our OB/GYN house-officers, Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine residents, Certified Nurse-Midwives, fourth-year medical students on elective rotations, and third-year medical students from the University of Arizona on required OB/GYN clerkships.

Subspecialty and general OB/GYN outpatient clinics are held daily at each hospital. Routine antenatal care for MMC patients is provided at a network of neighborhood family health centers scattered throughout Maricopa County. These clinics are staffed by our community-based physicians and certified nurse-midwives, as well as our Academic faculty.

Overall Residency Concept

• Team” concept
• Continuity of care
• Mixture of private and resident care
• Graduated responsibility and authority
• Limited work hours (meets ACGME requirements)
• Combine exposure to primary care and subspecialties

What Makes PIROG Excellent?

• Combination of large public and large private hospital
• Ability to function with graded autonomy, but supervised
• Close working relationship with dedicated faculty
• Laparoscopic simulator in the department with year-specific curriculum and learning modules

Teaching Plan &Teaching Experience

Clinical competence and academic excellence are attained by giving graded responsibility to the resident through exposure to all areas of obstetrics and gynecology under the direct supervision of board certified specialists and sub-specialists present in the department 24 hours a day. There is a strong emphasis on teaching. Senior residents actively participate in mentoring junior residents. Faculty members direct learning through didactic, experiential, research, and small group and individual

• Friday morning (7-10 a.m.)
• Mortality & Morbidity conference
• Grand Rounds
• Didactic Lectures
• Journal Club (every month)
• Multi specialty conferences
• Tumor Board
• 24-hour in house attending supervision at both sites
• 22 full time teaching attendings
• Large community voluntary teach faculty
• Multiple areas of teaching/skills
• Endoscopic surgeries, colposcopy, urogynecology
• Domestic violence, perinatal substance abuse
• Ethics, genetics, reproductive technology, breast disease

Research

The Program Director and faculty support research and scholarly activity. Residents are introduced to research during their first year through a series of tutorials, self-directed learning, and one-on-one mentoring. The program has a research requirement of one scholarly project to be completed during the residency. Residents are required to develop a research protocol, and encouraged to present findings on local, regional, and national levels. Dean Coonrod, M.D., M.P.H. directs departmental and resident research projects. Opportunities to share research efforts with peers occur during monthly research conferences, Journal Club, and an annual Research Day.  Click here  to see what research activities faculty/residents are currently involved in.

Experiential Learning

The house-office training program with seven residents at each level spans four years. A night float system is used at both hospitals to insure compliance with ACGME duty hour regulations. During all four years the residents have responsibility for patients in community-based primary and continuity care clinics. Graded responsibility begins with building a strong foundation in care of normal women’s health and low risk obstetrics. As the resident gains knowledge and experience, responsibility for operative management, high risk and gynecologic health problems, and teaching & administrative duties are added.

The Post-Graduate Years

PGY I - During the first year of post graduate training in OB/GYN emphasis is placed on basic Gynecology and Obstetrics. The resident spends two blocks each in obstetrics, gynecology and night float, one block is spent in the ICU, Family Practice, and Emergency Medicine. In July the resident stays on service and spends two weeks at Maricopa and two weeks at St Josephs, this is to acclimate the resident to obstetrics and gynecology as well as the program residents and faculty. On other rotations the residents' time is divided between Maricopa and St. Joseph's Medical Centers.

PGY II - The second year consists of two blocks of obstetrics, one at MMC and one at SJH. Two blocks are dedicated to gynecology surgery; the block at SJH is on the gynecology-oncology service. Two blocks will be spent on night float, one at each hospital. The final block is high risk obstetrics at MMC.

PGY III - During the third year emphasis is placed on building a depth of knowledge and experience and further development of operative and clinical care management skills. This year is enhanced by opportunities to experience private practice as the resident spends time with subspecialist in their offices. The resident is first assist to the specialist at affiliated institutions, giving the resident an opportunity to experience more of the clinical medical community. The specific rotations are Urogynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and Gynecology Oncology. It is during this year when the resident may take an elective rotation, such as offsite rotations to subspecialty training sites.

PGY IV - Full responsibility for management of patients' care is given during this final year. The resident further develops skills in practice management and leadership. During the final year the residents gain experience in the following areas: Obstetrics at both MMC and SJH, Gynecology at both MMC and SJH, Gynecology-Oncology at SJH, night float at MMC and Flex rotation. During the private practice GYN rotation additional opportunities in gynecologic surgery at affiliated institutions are present, as well as time for simulation surgery and medical coding instruction.

Continuity Clinics

Continuity Clinics make up a vital part of our training. We prepare our residents to be primary care providers by having the continuity clinics situated within the Family Health Centers. By doing this, we stress learning the primary care of women by having generalist faculty be the teachers of this experience. These clinics occur one half day per week and are designed to include the exposure to obstetrics and gynecology as well as primary health care for women.

The Faculty

The OB/Gyn teaching faculty includes:

• 23 Board Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologists
• 7 Board Certified sub-specialists
  • 4 Maternal and Fetal Medicine
  • 1 Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • 1 Gynecologic Oncology
  • 1 Medical Genetics
• A number of Board Certified Obstetrical Anesthesiologists

 

More than 20 community-based adjunct faculty members provide a comprehensive, well-rounded resident education experience. Residents are trained in the ambulatory services of laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, laser surgery, colposcopy and urethroscopy. Other spheres of teaching cognitive and technical skills include Genetics, Domestic Violence, Perinatal Substance Abuse Care, Urodynamics, Reproductive Technology, Ethics, and Benign Breast Disease.

R. Michael Brady, M.D., FACOG Residency Program Director University of Virginia School of Medicine	Maria Manriquez, M.D., FACOG Associate Residency Program Director University of Arizona College of Medicine
Dean Coonrod, M.D., M.P.H., FACOG Chairman, Department of Ob/Gyn-MIHS Director, Clinical OB/Gyn Research University of Washington School of Medicine	James Balducci, M.D., M.B.A, FACOG Chair of Academic Affairs Department of Ob/Gyn - SJH North Shore University Hospital School of Medicine University of Connecticut – MFM Fellowship

General Obstetrics and Gynecology

• Paul Araiza, M.D., FACOG
• Jennifer Baumbach, M.D.
• Patricia A. Graham, M.D., FACOG
• David L. Greenspan, M.D., FACOG
• Patricia J. Habak, M.D., FACOG
• Joseph Hanss, M.D., FACOG
• Crista Johnson, M.D., FACOG
• James R. Mouer, M.D., FACOG
• Edward Nash, M.D., FACOG
• Adedayo Onibokun, M.D.
• Dana Porter, M.D., FACOG
• Walter A.C. Zuschke, M.D., FACOG
• Thomas Zheng, M.D., FACOG

 

Maternal Fetal Medicine and Genetics

• James Balducci, M.D., M.B.A, FACOG
• Richard Blumrick, M.D., FACOG
• Linda Chambliss, MD, MPH, FACOG
• Evan Taber, M.D., FACOG
• Greg Giannina, M.D. FACOG
• Joseph Harris, MD FACOG

 

Gynecology Oncology

• Ivor Benjamin, M.D., FACOG
• Bradley Monk, M.D., FACOG
  

Gynecology Pathology      

• David Greenspan, M.D., FACOG
• H. Dave’, M.D., FACOG
  

Urogynecology

• Paul W. Marshburn, M.D., FACOG
• Felipe Videla, M.D., FACOG
• Shazia Malik, MD FACOG
  

Advanced Gynecologic Surgery

• Michael Hibner, M.D., Ph.D., FACOG
• Nita Desai, M.D.

 

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

• H. Randall Craig, M.D., FACOG
• Daniel Rychlik, M.D., FACOG
• Ketan Patel, M.D., FACOG
  

Affiliated Health Care Specialist

• Tanya Barstow, CNM
• Connie Garcia, CNM
• Tammalynn Gaddam, CNM
• Suzanne Hanson, CNM
• Michelle Heymann, CNM
• Lucy Hosmer, CNM
• Arlene Karlin, CNM
• Yvonne Lamos, CNM
• Sue Liebherr, CNP
• Anita Martinez, CNM
• Lynn Repich, CNM
• Donna Tash, CNM
• Susan Yount, PHD,CNM,WHNP-BC,RN
  
  

Clinical Research

• Dean Coonrod, M.D., M.P.H., FACOG
• Robert Garfield, Ph.D

• Crista Johnson, M.D., FACOG

Application & Residency Selection

Appointments at the PGY I level are made through the National Resident Matching Program in the ERAS system. Application deadlines correspond to this system, but are interview dates typically fill up by October.  Keep in mind we do not require a Dean's letter to receive an interview invitation, all other required documents should be downloaded.  Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Visas are not accepted or sponsored for residents.

Documents Required:
Dean's Letter (not required to receive an interview invitation)
-Dean's Letter (not required to receive an interview invitation)
-3 Letters of Recommendations
-USMLE Step 1
-USMLE Step 2 (some applicants are invited for an interview before scores are received)
-Personal Statement
-Transcript
-Curriculum Vitae
-ECFMG Status Report (if applicable)

Factors important in the resident selection process include:

• Academic qualifications
• Dependability, responsibility, maturity, courtesy, confidence
• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Dedication to Women's Health
• Sense of humor and work ethic

 

General residency statistics:

• Approximate number of applicants per position - 25
• Approximate number of interviews offered per position - 10
• Percent of matched students who had "audition elective" - 11%
• Percent of grads who pursue private practice vs. academic medicine - 71%

Medical Student 4th Year Electives

• Preparation for Practice
• Gynecologic Oncology
• Reproductive Endocrinology & Fertility
• Maternal Fetal Medicine
• Obstetric & Gynecology Research
• Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology

Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun

Arizona's life-style is a true asset. A rich cultural heritage and sunshine are key attractions.

Outdoor recreation offers unique opportunities such as hiking into the Grand Canyon, rodeos, Indian ceremonies, lost mines, caves, jogging-biking-hiking trails, rivers, lakes, and guest ranches. Over one hundred and seventy golf courses dot the Phoenix area.

Sports enthusiasts can enjoy NFL football, NBA basketball, PGA golf, NHL hockey, major league baseball, and other growing professional sports such as Arena football, indoor soccer and WNBA basketball. College athletics and major university facilities are only five miles away at Arizona State University in Tempe.

Quality of life is measured by the natural beauty and unique cultural opportunities throughout the state. For anyone who has never experienced the Southwest, it will be a wonderful place to spend several years during their training.

Local Attractions

Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona and the fifth largest in the USA. The metropolitan area covers almost 400 square miles and is home to 3.5 million people.

Eighteen cities, including Tempe and Scottsdale, comprise the greater metropolitan area known as The Valley of the Sun. Phoenix lies 1,200 feet above sea level, situated on the valley floor.

Contrary to most people's idea of a desert, Phoenix is actually a semiarid desert and is bordered on all sides by mountain ranges. Trees, such as palo verde, mesquite, and cottonwood, grow in abundance. Many colorful varieties of cactus bloom from April through June, including saguaro, golden barrel, prickly pear, and ocotillo.

Numerous art museums, the Phoenix Symphony, and all of the facilities available in a large city can be found within a short drive of the hospital.
Comfortable living accommodations abound, whether apartment-style, condo, or single home dwellings. Residents may elect to live in many different community settings and usually learn to love the more relaxed Southwestern style of living and entertaining. Suits do not abound when the summer heat arrives, even for Grand Rounds presentations!


Additional Information

Thank you for your interest in our residency program. If we can provide further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Any of the faculty would be pleased to answer questions which you may have.

For additional information, please contact:

R. Michael Brady, M.D.
Program Director
2601 East Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone: (602) 344-5444
Email: rbrady2@chw.edu

Maria Manriquez, MD
Associate Program Director
Medical Student Clerkship Site Director
2601 East Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone: (602) 344-5641
Email: Maria_Manriquez@dmgaz.org