MEDICAL STUDENT EDUCATION
“When teachers care.” Professor Fritz Roethlisberger, Harvard University
Robert L. Barbieri, MD, Department Chair
Michael R. Stelluto, MD, Clerkship Director
Paulette Nippet, Assistant to the Clerkship Director
MISSION
Our mission is to provide the highest quality educational programs for medical students in
women’s health care. Our primary commitment is the Core Clerkship Course in Obstetrics and
Gynecology for 3rd year Harvard Medical School students. Our goal is to see that students
acquire the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes towards women’s health to provide the best in
health care for patients.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN AY 2008-2009
 Recognized by Harvard Medical School and other teaching organizations, including the
Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO), for excellence in teaching.
 One of four teaching hospitals (BIDMC, BWH, Cambridge, MGH) to have successfully
launched the PCE program for forty-two third-year HMS students who rotated through core
clerkships in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, psychiatry
and radiology.
 Completed transition to new HMS calendar year: May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009.
CORE CLERKSHIP
The Core Clerkship rotates every six weeks, eight times a year. Students are exposed to teaching
on the wards and labor and delivery, in the OR and embryology/IVF laboratory and in faculty
and resident clinics.
The success of the Core Clerkship comes from the time commitment and dedication of our entire
faculty who provide exceptional teaching for medical students throughout the four-year
curriculum. Case-based, interactive and evidence-based medicine is stressed, emphasizing
pathophysiology and student-led case presentations. We encourage a team approach by assigning
each student to a patient care team.
Full-time faculty lead seminars on Wednesdays. Topics in general OB/GYN, maternal-fetal
medicine, reproductive endocrinology and gynecologic oncology cover the Core teaching
objectives students must achieve upon completion of the Clerkship. Faculty willingly volunteer
for final oral exams at the end of each clerkship. The seminar series continues to be rated highly
by the medical students and Harvard Medical School.
Teaching across all four years is provided with a sense of pride by our dedicated staff of faculty, fellows, residents, private
attendings, nurses, midwives, surgical techs, genetic counselors and invaluable support staff. The following list highlights
some of the roles and activities for each year of medical school.
Year 1

Clinical Pelvic Anatomy, HST students: Daniela Carusi, MD

Human Sexuality Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD

Laboratory Instructor, Human Body Dissection Lab and Histology: Lisa Gruenberg, MD

Human Sexuality in Medicine: Nawal M. Nour, MD, MPH

Patient/Doctor I, White Coat Ceremony: Michael R. Stelluto, MD
Year 2

How To Do a Pelvic Examination. Introduction to Clinical Medicine, HST: Drs. Ashley Ackerman, Joan Bengtson,
Stephanie Bird, Dwight Cordero, Gail Guzelian, Natasha Johnson, Taryn Lieberman, Noah Rodriguez, Audra
Robertson, Joaquin Santolaya

Endocrine/Reproduction. Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology: Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Clinical Pelvic Anatomy, HST: Daniela Carusi, MD

Human Sexuality Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD

Transition From the Classroom to the Clerkship; Bridge to Mentoring Program/Basic Sciences (Years 1-2) to Clinical
Learning (Years 3-4): Michael R. Stelluto, MD
Year 3

Core Clerkship seminar series: Drs. David Acker, Robert L. Barbieri, Deborah Bartz, Daniela Carusi, Daniel Cramer,
Karen Davidson, Lisa Dunn-Albanese, Katherine Economy, Janis H. Fox, Antonio Gargiulo, Mehmet Genc, Tanya
Ghatan, Elizabeth Ginsburg, Mark Hornstein, Natasha Johnson, Neeraj Kohli, Thomas McElrath, Michael Muto,
Betty Ng, Sujatha Rajan, Rosemary Reiss, Joaquin Santolaya, Michael R. Stelluto, Ruth E. Tuomala, Brian Walsh,
Elena H. Yanushpolsky

Oral examiners: Drs. Gabrielle Bercy-Roberson, Joan Bengtson, Stephanie Bird, Jerome Federschneider, Jonathan
Friedes, John R. Goldman, Susan Hellerstein, J. Gregory Kane, Veronica Ravnikar, Michael R. Stelluto, Toni
Walzer, James Zuckerman

Weekly OB Shadow Rounds: David Acker, MD

Weekly student case presentations: Michael R. Stelluto, MD

Human Sexuality Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD

Ultrasound: Drs. Karen Davidson, Katherine Economy, Rosemary Reiss, Julian Robinson

L&D: Drs. Susan Hellerstein, Katherine Economy, Ruth E.Tuomala

Caring for Circumcised Women: Nawal M. Nour, MD, MPH

Exploring a Career in OB/GYN: Alisa Goldberg, MD

Reproductive Ethics: Mark Hornstein, MD

Simulation sessions with OB mannequin: Allan Rashba, MD

GYN Clinic: Drs. Deborah Bartz, Daniel Cramer, Natasha Johnson, Veronica Ravnikar, Joan Golub

MFM Clinic: Drs. David Acker, Daniela Carusi, Katherine Economy, Mehmet Genc, Thomas McElrath, Ruth
Tuomala, Louise Wilkins-Haug

REI Clinic: Drs. Janis Fox, Antonio Gargiulo, Elizabeth Ginsburg, Mark Hornstein, Brian W. Walsh, Elena H.
Yanushpolsky

GYN ONC Clinic: Drs. Ross Berkowitz, Sarah Feldman, Colleen Feltmate, Neil Horowitz, Michael G. Muto

Clinical Sessions, Genetics: Drs. Rosemary Reiss, Joaquin Santolaya

Patient/Doctor III: Advisor, Mentor/Advisor Pilot Program: Michael R. Stelluto, MD

Simulation, Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Birth: Toni Walzer, MD
Year 4
 Maternal-Fetal Medicine Course Director: Thomas McElrath, MD
 Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology Course Director: Janis H. Fox, MD
 Gynecologic Oncology Course Director: Ross Berkowitz, MD
 Human Sexuality: Daniela Carusi, MD
 Comprehensive Examination (OSCE): Michael R. Stelluto, MD
RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
2009 APGO Excellence in Teaching Award: Daniela Carusi, MD
2008-2009 BWH Resident Teaching Awards by 3rd year medical students
PGY1: Drs. Kevin Elias, Dana Henry, Alejandro Rauh-Hain
PGY2: Drs. Rachel M. Clark, Andrea Jackson, Sarah Little
PGY3: Drs. Trevin Lau, Evelyn Mok-Lin, Aleksander Stanic Kostic
PGY4: Drs. Khady Diouf, Isiah Harris, Janelle Luk
GOALS FOR AY 2009-2010
 Faculty development programs in teaching for residents, fellows and faculty.
 Competency assessment mechanisms for students in Patient Care, Medical Knowledge,
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills,
Professionalism and System-Based Practice.
 Promote faculty as future Scholars in the Academy at Harvard Medical School.
 Continue to provide the highest quality undergraduate medical education in Women’s Health.