OB-GYN
Surgery
University Health Partners (UHP)
Under the leadership of Dr. Ivica Zalud, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health (OBGYN) at JABSOM has established the largest endowment among all the departments at the medical school. This trend continued this week as the OBGYN department made a strategic investment by creating a professorship dedicated to advancing benign gynecological surgery.
Benign gynecological conditions are non-cancerous issues that affect the female reproductive system. Examples include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and ovarian cysts. While these conditions are common, they can also cause significant morbidity, pain, and stress for those affected.
The establishment of the Advanced GYN Surgery Professorship will support a faculty member who has not yet been named. This position aims to initiate a new program for JABSOM OBGYN residents, enhancing their learning opportunities in areas such as benign GYN surgery, chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, and fibroids.
"Our department has long been recognized for excellence in Gynecologic Oncology and Urogynecology, yet there has been a significant gap in dedicated expertise for advanced and complex benign gynecologic surgery. The need for highly specialized faculty—at the full professor level, with fellowship training, board certification, and national recognition—is critical in ensuring that our learners receive the highest standard of clinical training in surgical care." said OBGYN Department Chair Ivica Zalud.
The endowment, funded by the OBGYN Department's reserve fund balance at University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi (UHP), which has accumulated over decades, allows the department to invest in its future.
"We did this in 2016 when we created our own endowment to support our academic mission from our clinical reserves. We were the first department to do this within JABSOM," Zalud said.
JABSOM Dean Sam Shomaker recognizes the impact this professorship will have on the education and health of women in Hawaiʻi.
"This endowment is a step towards filling a major void in Hawaiʻi's health care system,” Shomaker said. “Having a nationally recognized expert in this area, right in our backyard, will improve clinical care and give OBGYN residents the training they need to help Hawaiʻi's women as they go into practice in our community."