A urogynecologist is an obstetrician/gynecologist who specializes in women’s urology and pelvic problems. Some common disorders treated by a urogynecologist include:
- Incontinence: leakage of urine
- Prolapse: dropping down of the organs adjacent to the vagina (bladder, uterus or rectum)
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Overactive Bladder: sudden urge to urinate (gotta go, gotta, go)
Urogynecologists have completed a four-year OB/GYN residency followed by additional years of specialized training, called a fellowship, in Female Pelvic Medicine/Reconstructive Surgery.
Stated simply fellowship training is subspecialization training. If you have visited a cardiologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, or rheumatologist then you have seen a fellowship-trained internal medicine doctor. Another example is a cardiothoracic surgeon who is a fellowship trained general surgeon. The specialty of obstetrics and gynecology has four subspecialty fellowships:
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Infertility
- Female Pelvic Medicine/Reconstructive Surgery
And while some obstetrician-gynecologists may dabble in urogynecology they do not possess the additional years of formalized subspecialty training and as such may be inadequately prepared and/or skilled to provide appropriate care for women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction.
Dr. Stubbs attended Emory University in Atlanta for his subspecialty fellowship training. While at Emory, he completed two fellowships: one in Pelvic Surgery through the section of Gynecologic Oncology and the other in Urogynecology/Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery through the section of Gynecology.
