Family Planning Fellowship

BWH/Harvard Family Planning Fellowship

This two-year fellowship provides obstetrician-gynecologists with the opportunity to build on their clinical skills in abortion and family planning and to develop research expertise in these areas.  The fellowship is based in the Division of Women’s Health and is a collaboration between the Division, the BWH Dept. of OB/GYN, and Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.  The clinical component of the fellowship includes: all methods of pregnancy termination; diagnostic methods to confirm uterine and tubal pregnancy; anesthesia and pain control; management of complications; all methods of contraception currently available and under investigation; sterilization; and gynecologic surgery.  The research component of the fellowship provides fellows with a strong foundation in clinical research methods, including study design and statistical analysis.  In addition to these skills, fellows are expected to conduct a structured clinical research project as part of their fellowship experience and complete either a Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science (SM) degree program at the Harvard School of Public Health.  Fellows also have the opportunity to travel abroad to gain exposure to issues in international family planning and challenges in the provision of care.  The fellowship accepts one new fellow each academic year, and is a non-accredited program.

International Component of the Family Planning Fellowship

The Family Planning Fellowship includes an international experience that is designed by the Fellow in conjunction with their Fellowship Director and in collaboration with the Global Women’s Health Fellowship and the other divisions, departments and organizations working with the Connors Center to advance leaders in global health.  The international travel and research experiences of the Family Planning Fellows have included: research and patient care at clinics and community-based centers in Mexico immediately following the legalization of abortion in Mexico City; assisting with clinical activities such as laparoscopy and family planning in Vietnam; and developing the family planning components of a new Family Practice Residency Program in Rwanda.

Furthermore, the anonymous private foundation that supports the Family Planning Fellowship has initiated a program to encourage establishing long-term partnerships between the U.S.-based family planning training programs with institutions/organizations internationally to increase access to, and training in, abortion and family planning within those countries.  The rollout of this program by the foundation has been delayed due to the financial markets, but remains a program priority for the foundation over the long term.  We look forward to working with the foundation to develop such a partnership, and believe the work currently underway between one of our fellows, Dr. Felecia Lester, and Partners in Health to create a family planning training component as part of an in-country family practice residency in Rwanda provides the opportunity for just such an initiative.  The goal of this type of partnership over the long term is to create a sustainable program for the development of trained providers (including physicians and/or non-physicians) to increase women’s access to family planning.

Fellowship Leadership

Alisa Goldberg, MD, MPH, Director, Family Planning Fellowship, is Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Division of Family Planning at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Director of Clinical Research and Training at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.  With the Division of Women’s Health serving as the academic home for the Harvard Family Planning Fellowship, Dr. Goldberg has developed and leads this two-year program which provides obstetrician-gynecologists with the opportunity to build on their clinical skills in abortion and family planning and to develop extensive research expertise in these areas.  Dr. Goldberg is a leader nationally in reproductive health and family planning, and has developed a significant research program with clinical trials at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, which serves as an important training site for Harvard Medical School trainees.