26285: From Resident to CBG Surgeon: What You Need to Know

Saturday, November 14, 2026
2:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Room: RM309

Chair: Liron Bar-El

Co-Chair: Gabrielle T. Whitmore

Faculty: Annie Apple, Ogechukwu Ezike, Christine E. Foley, Gretchen Makai, Raanan Meyer

Description:

Choosing a career pathway in Complex Benign Gynecology (CBG) and navigating the training and professional development opportunities can be challenging, particularly for physicians and trainees without access to CBG-trained mentors at their institution. Limited exposure to the day-to-day practice of CBG, along with variability across fellowship programs and practice models, often creates uncertainty regarding training pathways and career opportunities.

This interactive town hall is designed to provide physicians, residents, medical students, and interested participants with a practical understanding of the field, the value of AAGL fellowship training, and the diverse career opportunities available in CBG. Through didactic presentations, panel discussions, and small-group mentoring, participants will gain insight into fellowship training, career development, professional development and the application process. The course will also provide individualized guidance on career and professional development, strengthening fellowship applications, evaluating programs, and maximizing educational and networking opportunities at the AAGL Annual Global Congress.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, the participant will be able to: 1) Compare CBG sub specialization with other career pathways; 2) Describe the clinical, surgical, and academic skills, including surgical education and research, uniquely acquired during CBG fellowship; and 3) Differentiate fellowship programs based on structure, surgical exposure, research opportunities, and career alignment.

Course Outline

2:15 PM Welcome, Introduction and Course Overview
L. Bar-El and G. Whitmore

2:20 PM Didactic Overview: An overview of Complex Benign Gynecology (CBG), including the scope of fellowship training, advanced clinical and surgical skills, and the evolving role of the CBG surgeon. The session will also discuss career options in academic and private practice, including practice structure, compensation, research opportunities, lifestyle, and work-life integration.

All Faculty

2:50 PM Interactive Panel Discussion: A moderated discussion featuring CBG surgeons representing diverse career stages and practice models, including early-career faculty, established leaders, and division directors. Panelists will share their fellowship experiences, career paths, professional development, and perspectives on building a successful career in CBG. Current fellows from both two- and three-year fellowship programs will provide firsthand insights into fellowship training, professional development, the application process, and different career pathways following training.

All Faculty

3:35 PM Faculty-Led Small-Group Mentoring Workshops: Participants will engage in faculty-led mentoring sessions focused on professional development, career planning, practice and training pathways, CV review, application strategy, program selection, networking, career planning, and maximizing opportunities at the AAGL Annual Global Congress. Participants without an established mentor will be paired with a faculty sponsor to facilitate introductions, provide individualized guidance, and foster meaningful professional relationships throughout the meeting.

All Faculty

4:05 PM Discussion Questions & Answers

4:15 PM Adjourn