Mission
The program's mission statement is: "We guide and educate physicians to provide professional, ethical and safe comprehensive subspecialty care for women with pelvic floor disorders in Northern New England, including many rural communities of New Hampshire and Vermont. We cultivate a spirit of intellectual inquiry through our educational mission at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and a structured research curriculum that prepares our graduates to be scholars, educators and leaders in our subspecialty".
Our mission statement aligns well with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Ob/Gyn Core Program Mission statement: "Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is unique as a world-class academic health system located in a rural setting, affording us the opportunity to be thought leaders in delivering care to communities like those we serve across Northern New England. We cultivate a spirit of intellectual inquiry through our educational mission at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and a structured research curriculum that prepares our graduates to be scholars, educators and future leaders in our specialty."
The program's mission statement also aligns with the mission of the Sponsoring Institution, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and that of the GME. The Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center mission statement is. "We advance health through research, education, clinical practice, and community partnerships, providing each person the best care, in the right place, at the right time, every time." The GME Mission Statement is, "to guide and educate physicians as they develop the skills and expertise to provide safe, high value patient care through professional, ethical and compassionate behavior. We empower physicians to address healthcare disparities, and to continuously improve their education, practice, and the community health care system as a whole."
Program aims
Our goal is to train academic subspecialty physicians to be outstanding leaders in clinical care, research and teaching. The graduating Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellow will become an expert in the comprehensive surgical and medical management of women with pelvic floor disorders, including: urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract disorders; pelvic organ prolapse and childbirth-related injuries, including fistulas; anal incontinence and bowel dysfunction. The surgical experience will emphasize a full range of minimally invasive approaches, including vaginal, laparoscopic and robotic techniques to provide comprehensive surgical management of pelvic floor disorders.
Clinical training will include formal rotations in Urology, Gastroenterology and Colorectal Surgery; in addition to exposure in Geriatric medicine. Global health opportunities will be available to broaden diversity of care and approaches to care in under-resourced countries. Graduates of the Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellowship will be well-suited to provide exceptional subspecialty care to rural populations.
Partnerships with The Tuck School of Business, The Thayer School of Engineering, and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice allows for graduating fellows to seek innovative engineering and business solutions to clinical challenges; and to measure, organize and improve health care delivery to rural populations in a rapidly changing health care environment.