Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility Fellowship Program

The training program encompasses 36 consecutive months spent exclusively in Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility. A maximum of one fellow, who must have completed an approved obstetrics and gynecology residency program, is admitted annually.

The first half of the first year of the fellowship will be devoted to gaining experience in laboratory techniques, i.e., becoming familiar with steroid and protein hormone assays including but not restricted to radioimmunoassays, general laboratory techniques, tissue culture, receptor research technology, etc. Each fellow, instructed by one or more faculty advisors, will begin his/her own clinical and/or laboratory research project(s) during the first fellowship year.

During the second half of the year, each fellow will work full-time for six months in the Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility (REI) Clinic. During this time, the fellow will be responsible for this service, i.e., supervise residents and interns assigned to the REI Clinic. The second year of the fellowship will be similar to the first year, i.e., 6 months in the clinic and 6 months of research.

While in REI Clinic, each fellow will be the primary surgeon for all REI surgeries. Prior to performing tubal microsurgery, each fellow will participate in practice sessions (tubal laboratory) where he/she will be instructed in the use of microsurgical instruments, loupes and the operating microscope. The REI Service is primarily assigned an operating room two full days a week plus additional time as needed on other days. The operating suite is equipped with an operating microscope, laparoscopic video system and laparoscopic surgical instruments and camera attachments. Also available is the animal laparoscopy laboratory, where laparoscopic techniques can be developed, modified and practiced in a controlled environment.

The REI Clinic sees approximately 838 new gynecologic endocrinology and/or infertility patients annually. A total of 3,233 total patient visits were recorded during academic year 1998-1999. The REI Clinic includes a once-a-week Male Infertility Clinic under the supervision of Rebecca Z. Sokol, M.D., a Medical Endocrinologist who supervises the clinical Andrology Program. Each Tuesday afternoon, the REI Clinic fellow together with the residents present all patients seen during the preceding week to the REI faculty for critical review and discussion of each patient’s management plan. In addition, each Friday, the week’s statistics are presented to the faculty at the Departmental Patient Care Conference, which encompasses four Gynecology Services, Oncology and REI Service.

During the intensive six-month clinical experience in each of the first two years, each fellow will receive experience in induction of ovulation and monitoring techniques. In particular, each fellow will gain experience with the use of vaginal ultrasound for monitoring follicular development. Each fellow also acts as consultant to the four Gynecology Services and to the Gynecologic Oncology Service. Outpatient consultation typically involves concurrent Gyn and REI problems, assistance with outpatient hysteroscopy and/or saline infusion sonography. If surgical consultation is required, the clinic fellow will perform the clinical assessment, then may perform the procedure with assistance from REI faculty.

Current Faculty

Many of the members of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology participate in the teaching of post-doctoral fellows in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The following list includes those who are most directly involved in the training of fellows:

Former Fellows

The division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility has trained many of the nation's foremost subspecialists. The following individuals served as Clinical Fellows in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Southern California:

Brian A. Acacio, M.D.	07/01/97 – 06/30/99
Robert E. Anderson, M.D.	07/01/86 – 06/30/88
Beth A. Ary, M.D.	07/01/91 – 06/30/93
Edward J. Bailey, M.D.	07/01/78 – 06/30/80
Susan A. Ballagh, M.D.	07/01/90 – 06/30/92
Randall B. Barnes, M.D.	07/01/83 – 06/30/85
David A. Battin, M.D.	07/01/82 – 06/30/84
Sandra M. Bello, M.D.	07/01/96 – 06/30/98
Robert Boostanfar, M.D.	07/01/99 – 06/30/02
Denise L. Cassidenti, M.D.	07/01/89 – 06/30/91
Philip E. Chenette, M.D.	07/01/87 – 06/30/89
Michael M. H. Cho, M.D.	07/01/97 – 06/30/99
Cristin Coulam, M.D.	07/01/97 – 06/30/99
Edward C. Ditkoff, M.D.	07/01/90 – 06/30/92
Daniel M. Duffy, M.D.	07/01/92 – 06/30/94
Gregory T. Fossum, M.D.	07/01/86 – 06/30/88
Jane L. Frederick, M.D.	07/01/88 – 06/30/90
Jacek W. Graczykowski, M.D.	07/01/94 – 06/30/96
Louis R. Granger, M.D.	07/01/79 – 06/30/81
Mathias Gysler, M.D.	09/01/79 – 08/31/80
Ilene E. Hatch, M.D.	07/01/93 – 06/30/95
Michael J. Hickey, M.D.	07/01/88 – 06/30/90
David I. Hoffman, M.D.	07/01/82 – 06/30/84
Wilbur F. Howard, M.D.	07/01/76 – 06/30/78
Tran T. Hung, M.D.	07/01/79 – 06/30/81
John K. Jain, M.D.	07/01/96 – 06/30/98
Walter M. James, M.D.	07/01/93 – Deceased
Bradford A. Kolb, M.D.	07/01/95 – 06/30/97
Tina B. Koopersmith, M.D.	07/01/93 – 06/30/95
Kathleen L. Kornafel, M.D., Ph.D.	07/01/89 – 06/30/91
Jay H. Levin, M.D.	07/01/88 – 06/30/90
Steven R. Lindheim., M.D.	07/01/91 – 06/30/93
Rogerio A. Lobo, M.D.	07/01/78 – 06/30/80
Clarissa A. Mashchak, M.D.	11/01/78 – 10/31/80
Richard P. Marrs, M.D.	07/01/77 – 06/30/79
Robert K. Matteri, M.D.	07/01/87 – 06/30/89
Gil N. Mileikowsky, M.D.	07/01/84 – 06/30/86
Rachel A. Miles, M.D.	07/01/90 – 06/30/92
Randy S. Morris, M.D.	07/01/92 – 06/30/94
Sam Najmabadi, M.D.	07/01/95 – 06/30/97
Richard J. Paulson, M.D.	07/01/84 – 06/30/86
Steven C. Presser, M.D.	07/01/89 – 06/30/91
Gregory F. Rosen, M.D.	07/01/85 – 06/30/87
Arie R. Schwartz, M.D.	07/01/81 – 06/30/82
Paulo C. Serafini, M.D.	07/01/83 – 06/30/85
Gary A. Shangold, M.D.	08/01/81 – 07/31/83