Obstetrics & Gynecology

As an ACGME program, we try to incorporate the concepts of the milestones into the design of the experiences for the years and into evaluations and expectations.  The milestones that are used to assess where a resident is in his/her training spectrum, generally fall into the following sequence: 

1. Has knowledge about the normal or routine topic
2. Is able to manage and care for the normal or routine, and begins to be able to evaluate the abnormal or complicated 
3. Can manage the abnormal or complicated, and can begin to evaluate the unusual or complex
4. Can manage the unusual or complex, as well as teach and oversee the normal and routine. 

Our rotations try to mimic this progression. PGY-1 spend the majority of their time in rotations where they can develop strong initial assessment skills, and become confident in management of routine conditions. PGY-2 spend more time in rotations where they are managing more complex services and complicated patients. PGY-3 residents spend time honing their personal skills on complex patients and begin to become competent in supervision of other residents. Our PGY-4s spend time on their services, learning how to manage and run a multilevel team and a complex service of patients. 

Bridgeport Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training program has a robust didactic curriculum provided to the residents. 

Resident didactic sessions are fully protected time, with coverage of clinical duties by faculty, private physicians and midlevel providers. The curriculum for the resident didactics follows a 2-year cycle of topics tied to ACGME competencies and the core CREOG Educational Objectives. The material is presented in a variety of ways, including chapter reviews, Grand Rounds, practical workshops, hands-on simulation, Tumor Board, specialty-specific conferences, GME office resident education series, OSCEs, Morbidity and Mortality Conferences and journal clubs.

Residents on vacation, away electives and night float are not expected to attend.

In addition to our hospital-based rotations, we encourage and support our residents who want to explore experiences outside of our hospital. It is important to be exposed to alternate experiences when trying to decide what to do after residency. We do not have any set opportunities that are organized and structured through the department, but we are able to help guide a resident through the process if they are interested in setting up an outside elective.

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training Program utilizes a night float rotation for the majority of nighttime clinical coverage. Residents spend a total of approximately eight weeks on night float each of the four years of training. Each rotation consists of an upper and a lower level resident. The night shift team works 14-hour shifts for five days from Sunday night through Friday morning. There is full-time, in-house faculty supervision of the residents while on night float as well as dedicated obstetrical anesthesia. The remaining nights and weekends are broken into a Friday night/Sunday day shift and a 24-hour Saturday shift. On average, a resident will have two weekend shifts per month.

Although moonlighting is permitted, there are strict regulations that the work remains within the work hour regulations. It is unusual that a resident is able to make this work. 

Procedure volumes 
Residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bridgeport Hospital have access to a robust volume and variety of procedures. Each year the ACGME tracks certain resident procedure volumes and publishes the national trends and percentiles. Below is where Bridgeport Hospital lies with respect to national statistics with our 2019 graduating class.

Obstetrics 
Ultrasound – 87th percentile
Vaginal deliveries – 36th percentile
Cesarean sections – 58th percentile
Operative vaginal deliveries – 51st percentile

Gynecology 
Transvaginal ultrasound – 85th percentile
Dilatation and curettage – 85th percentile
Operative hysteroscopy – 91st percentile
Operative laparoscopy – 55th percentile

Total abdominal hysterectomy – 47th percentile
Total vaginal hysterectomy – 50th percentile
Laparoscopic hysterectomy – 44th percentile
Minimally invasive hysterectomy – 41st percentile 
Surgery for invasive cancer – 6th percentile
Total hysterectomy numbers – 40th percentile
Total robotic procedures – 33rd percentile

Incontinence and pelvic floor surgery – 27th percentile
Cystoscopy – 73rd percentile

Steve Thung MD
Dr. Thung completed his BA at Amherst College in 1994 before attending New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, graduating in 1998. Dr. Thung completed an Ob-Gyn residency at NYU/Bellevue Hospital in 2002 and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship at Northwestern University in 2005. After completing his training he took his first faculty position at Yale University until 2011. He then joined the faculty at Ohio State University where he has served many roles including Chief of the Obstetrical Service and Division Director. He returned to Yale in 2023 as Vice Chair of Ob/Gyn at Yale and Chair of the Department of Ob/Gyn at Bridgeport Hospital.  He has earned many teaching awards throughout his career and  published extensively in many peer reviewed journals.

Jean Tornatore MD, FACOG
Dr. Tornatore has been the program’s director since the fall of 2015. After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in biology, she attended Georgetown University for medical training. After medical school, she matched into the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at The New York Hospital – Cornell Campus for specialty training. During her final year, Dr. Tornatore served as the administrative chief resident. After completing residency, she joined the faculty at Bronx Lebanon Hospital with the National Health Service Corps program. In 2006 she joined the faculty for the residency program at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, where she served as the medical director of Labor and Delivery, associate program director and physician champion for the healthcare system’s transition to Epic. 

Richard Bercik MD
Dr. Bercik is a full-time Associate Professor at the Yale School of Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. He is director of the Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery division at Bridgeport Hospital.  Dr. Bercik obtained his medical degree from the UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School, and then completed his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at New York University-Bellevue medical Center in New York City. Dr. Bercik remained at NYU-Bellevue serving as a faculty member, Director of Gynecology,  Chief of Service of OB/GYN and Co-Director of the Urogynecology/Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery service prior to joining the Yale Faculty. Dr. Bercik has extensive experience with vaginal, laparoscopic, and abdominal reconstructive procedures for conditions including urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and vaginal fistulae. Dr. Bercik has participated in NIH-sponsored research protocols and published several articles relating these conditions and continues to direct clinical research in pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.

Crina M Boeras MD, FACOG 
Dr. Boeras completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2005 before attending Yale School of Medicine, graduating in 2010. Dr. Boeras returned to the University of Massachusetts for Ob-Gyn residency. Following residency Dr. Boeras joined the Bridgeport Hospital faculty in 2014.She moved to Connecticut and began working at Bridgeport Hospital where she serves as clerkship site director for the Yale School of Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology rotation.

Michael Cackovic MD
Dr. Michael Cackovic attended Hahnemann (now Drexel) University College of Medicine graduating in 1997. He completed  ObGyn residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from 1997-2001. After graduation, he served at Naval Hospital Okinawa before fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Yale from 2005-2008. He spent 23 years in the United States Navy and is a veteran of Operation Unified Response in Haiti, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Southern Partnership Station in Central America. He most recently served as Obstetrics Director of the Cardiac Disease in pregnancy Program and Associate Residency Director at Ohio State University.

Shabnam Kashani MD
Dr. Kashani is a fellowship-trained, minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon whose primary clinical focus is advanced laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery. She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at Bridgeport Hospital and her fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic and robotic surgery with Yale Gynecologic Oncology group. She is the author of multiple articles and abstracts concerning minimally invasive gynecological surgery. Dr. Kashani is an accomplished speaker who has presented at many local, regional, national and international symposiums.

She serves as director of Ambulatory Care and associate program director of the MIGS Fellowship at Bridgeport Hospital.

Julie Lauren Laifer, MD, FACOG
Dr. Laifer completed her undergraduate degree at Cornell University before moving to California to study International Maternal and Child Health at UCLA School of Public Health. She completed her medical school training at the University of Vermont and Ob-Gyn residency at Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Since completing residency she spent time in private practice, various clinics and international medical missions before joining the Bridgeport Hospital residency training program in 2017. Dr. Laifer serves as the chief of the Family Planning Section.

Nora R. Miller MD
Dr. Miller attended the Penn State University- Jefferson Medical College Six Year Premedical-Medical Program, graduating medical school in 1997.  She began residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at MCP-Hahnemann University Hospitals, but transferred during her second year to NYU-Langone Hospital- Long Island where she completed residency.  Dr. Miller then pursued fellowship training  in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  She worked in private practice for 11 years before reentering academia.  Dr. Miller worked as an Assistant Clinical Professor at NYU School of Medicine for 4 years before joining Yale Medicine.   Dr. Miller serves as head of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility in the Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Program at Bridgeport Hospital.

Farinaz Seifi MD
Dr. Farinaz Seifi completed the OBGYN residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2016, and Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship at the Yale University/Bridgeport Hospital YNHHS program in 2018, she was recruited as a faculty to the Yale Division of Gynecologic Specialties in 2018.  

Dr. Seifi serves as a Chief of Gynecology at Bridgeport Hospital.

Jennifer Wong MD
Dr. Wong earned her BA in Cultural Anthropology from New York University in 2000 before attending the Medical College of Georgia, graduating in 2005. Dr. Wong completed an Ob-Gyn residency at Stamford Hospital in 2009, and Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City in 2012.  After completion of training, she worked as Maternal Fetal Medicine faculty at Westchester Medical Center and Assistant Professor at the New York Medical College, before serving as Associate Program Director for the Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program and Medical Director of Labor and Delivery at Danbury Hospital. Since 2019, Dr. Wong has been a member of the Maternal Fetal Medicine faculty at Yale Hospital. She has served as the division director for Maternal Fetal Medicine at Bridgeport Hospital since 2022, and is an Associate Professor at Yale University.

 

Lynn-Marie Wright, C-TAGME
Residency Program Coordinator
Wright has over 14 years of experience as a Residency/Fellowship Coordinator. 

PGY 1
Tyler Brown MD, Saba University School of Medicine
Kimberly Hernandez MD, CUNY School of Medicine
Kristen Kuo MD, Tufts University School of Medicine
Amy Hackett MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine

PGY 2
Aysegul Gizem Imamoglu MD, Acibadem Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, Turkey
Erin Leigh Morhardt MD, Frank H. Netter, MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Jillian McKenzi Pesce MD, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Elizabeth Rodier MD, University of Connecticut School of Medicine

PGY 3
Koraima Cedeno MD, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) School of Medicine Santo Domingo,
     Dominican Republic
Graham Dersnah MD, American University of Caribbean School of Medicine, Sint Maarten
Arlene Gutman MD, University College Cork School of Medicine, Ireland
Kayla Smith MD, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DCa

PGY 4
Maddie Carmain MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Va.
Amani Alshekh Kouder MD, University of Damascus Faculty of Medicine, Syrian Arab Republic
Joanna Kukla MD, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Mich.
Lauren Roth MD, University of Queensland School of Medicine, Australia

2021
Rodrigo Fernandez Diaz, MD, Universidad Central de Venezuela Luis Razetti School of Medicine, Venezuela
Jane Morrison, MD, Saba University School of Medicine, Saba, Dutch Caribbean
Wafa Khadraoui, MD, American University of the Caribbean, Saint Maarten
Mio Sawai, MD, Kansai Medical School Osaka, Japan
Janice Soto-Morales, MD, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, Puerto Rico

2020
Dr. Ainsley McFadgen, private practice, part of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center health system, Chatauqua, New York 
Dr. Andres Reig, REI Fellowship, IVIRMA, New Jersey 
Dr. Erika Schaeffer, private practice, Milford, Connecticut

2019
Dr. Ashley Bellamy, private practice, Bridgeport, Connecticut 
Dr. Joel Messom, private practice, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 
Dr. Saki Onda, private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii
Dr Ashley St Germain, private practice, Samaritan Health Services, Oregon

2018
Dr. Meryl Davis, private practice, Greensboro, North Carolina 
Dr Christopher Hicks, private practice, Sarasota, Florida
Dr Craig Sauer, private practice, New Haven, Connecticut

2017
Dr. Mitchell Clark, private practice, New Haven, Connecticut
Dr. Eamon Felton, private practice, Nashville, Tennessee
Dr. Robert O'Sullivan, faculty, Bridgeport Hospital
Dr. Michelle Stoltzman, private practice, Sarasota, Florida 

2016
Dr. Lily Bayat, private practice, New York
Dr. Perry Friedma, private practice, Royal Oak, Michigan
Dr. Tiffany Zigras, private practice, Ontario, Canada

2015
Dr. Joan Alvarez, private practice, Miami, Florida
Dr. Emily Baltes, private practice, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Dr. Maia Sharuk, laborist, Boston, MA

2014
Dr. Dallas Reed, faculty, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Dr. Marneece Williams, private practice, Phoenix, Arizona
Dr. Nwamaka Ugokwe, private practice, Brooklyn, New York

Research is an important part of the residency program and there is support and resources available to every resident who wishes to conduct a project. With a diverse clinic population and a wide range of clinical practice there are ample opportunities to conduct clinical research and to present results at local, regional and national meetings. Laboratory based research is also available through local resources. 

In recent years many residents have presented and/or published their projects, with several winning prizes and awards. To review a sample of publications in the section please visit the Bridgeport Hospital Medical Library.