Mass General Brigham/Brigham and Women's Hospital Program

Overview of the Program

The Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital is a prestigious three-year, ACGME accredited fellowship program. The program aims to develop future leaders in reproductive medicine through a well-rounded curriculum that includes 18 months of clinical training and 18 months of laboratory/research experience. The fellowship accommodates up to two fellows per academic year.

Clinical Training

The clinical training component encompasses a comprehensive range of responsibilities, where fellows engage in the evaluation and follow-up care of patients with various reproductive endocrine and infertility issues. Under faculty supervision, fellows are integral to the Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery (CIRS), which manages approximately 10,000 patient visits annually, addressing a variety of conditions including hyper-prolactinemia, amenorrhea, hirsutism, and infertility.

Starting from the second half of their first year, fellows begin to develop their practice through continuity clinics, where they see new patients under the mentorship of attending physicians. Apart from assessing fertility, the curriculum involves collaborative patient management with specialists in other disciplines such as pediatric endocrinology and urology.

Surgical Training

Fellows acquire significant surgical experience in operative laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, engaging in a variety of major infertility and reconstructive surgeries. They average between 100-150 operative cases annually and begin robotic training in an advanced surgical training center, with an expectation to be robot-qualified by graduation.

IVF and Laboratory Training

The fellowship includes an intensive In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) training program with around 1,800 cycles per year. Fellows rotate monthly through the IVF program where they gain exposure to patient management during the critical phases of fertility treatments including embryo transfer, oocyte retrieval, and donor egg utilization. Additionally, they gain insights into embryology laboratory practices including cryopreservation and micromanipulation techniques.

Research Opportunities

Dedicated time for research is an integral part of the fellowship. Each fellow is expected to engage in clinical and laboratory research projects under faculty guidance which helps develop their skills in scientific inquiry. Major laboratory facilities are accessible with opportunities for involvement in clinical studies related to infertility and assisted reproductive technology.

Educational Activities

The program features weekly formal teaching rounds and seminars, as well as opportunities to enroll in graduate-level courses at Harvard, which may include topics such as statistics and epidemiology relevant to reproductive medicine.

Application Process

Eligibility for the program requires completion of a four-year ACGME-accredited residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, with foreign medical graduates needing a J1 or H1B visa and passing relevant examinations. Applications must be submitted via ERAS, with deadlines stipulated for documentation.

Competitiveness and Additional Requirements

The program is competitive, attracting applicants from diverse medical backgrounds, including DOs and IMGs. There are specific benchmarks that applicants must meet, such as a residency training completion period and licensing requirements for practice in Massachusetts.

Visa Support

The program supports J1 and H1B visa sponsorship for international applicants, allowing foreign graduates to engage in training and clinical practice during the residency.

Salary and Benefits

For the academic year of 2023-2024, the fellow's salary is set at $88,700, with additional benefits that may include health insurance, vacation time, and funds for academic pursuits. Requests for vacation or conference attendance have to be approved ahead of time.