New Fellowship Offers OB/GYN Physicians Hands-On Training at CDC

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Aug 16, 2017, 11:00 ET

ATLANTA, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today's obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) face a challenge in gaining all the training and expertise they need in the area of infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Now, thanks to a grant from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG), there is a new fellowship that aims to help OB/GYN scientists become experts in STD/HIV prevention.

The ABOG/CDC Larry Gilstrap MD Fellowship is a three-year program that will competitively select three OB/GYN physicians to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for one year. The fellowship program provides OB/GYNs with training opportunities in infectious and sexually transmitted diseases in women and in pregnancy. The fellow is assigned within CDC's Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention and collaborates with CDC's Division of Reproductive Health.

"Working hand-in-hand with CDC over the course of a year, fellows will gain invaluable experience that ultimately will have a positive impact on their service to women and to the fields of public health and obstetrics and gynecology," said Dr. Judith Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "We are extremely grateful to ABOG for this innovative gift to advance expertise in infectious and sexually transmitted diseases."

This fellowship honors Dr. Larry C. Gilstrap III's legacy as executive director of ABOG and recognizes his profound impact and influence on the health of women and children. The goal of the fellowship is to provide a unique public health training experience for OB/GYN scientists who, upon completion, can be appointed to universities, or federal, state or local public health agencies with a focus on maternal and child health and STD/HIV prevention programs.

The first Larry Gilstrap fellow, Shivika Trivedi, MD, MSc, began her CDC assignment in July 2017. Dr. Trivedi holds an MD from the Emory University School of Medicine and an MSc in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. Dr. Trivedi has received numerous awards and honors, including Excellence in Obstetrics from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She has held several leadership and teaching roles throughout her studies.

"On behalf of ABOG, I'd like to congratulate Dr. Trivedi on being selected for this fellowship. Her list of achievements, including her teaching experience, global health activities, and numerous honors and awards make her an excellent choice for this opportunity. Given her high level of competency and acumen in our specialty, she will no doubt make an impactful contribution to CDC in the area of infectious diseases in women and in pregnancy," said Dr. George Wendel, executive director of ABOG.

ABOG is an independent, nonprofit organization that certifies obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States. Founded in 1930, ABOG is one of 24 specialty Boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Based in Dallas, ABOG is the certifying body for 45,000 diplomates in the United States and Canada.

About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the sole entity authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC's critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has launched nearly 1,000 programs and raised over $700 million. The CDC Foundation manages over 250 CDC-led programs in the United States and in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit https://www.cdcfoundation.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

SOURCE CDC Foundation