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Message from the Chair: Robert E. Bristow, MD, MBA, chair of the UCI Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Robert E. Bristow, MD, MBA

Our OB-Gyn department has a proud tradition of clinical excellence. It comprises nationally and internationally recognized leaders in maternal fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, urogynecology, family planning, and general obstetrics and gynecology.

This year, UCI Medical Center named one of the nation's best hospitals for maternity care for 2023-24, earning a "high-performing" rating by U.S. News & World Report. This is the highest available rating. We were also named one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek.

Our commitment to excellence continues, as evidenced by a long list of faculty awards and achievements. Our physician experts are paving the way in areas of maternal cardiovascular disease, maternal death and diversity in medicine.

Our faculty and staff includes:

  • 4 Gynecology Oncology specialists
  • 6 OB/Gyn Hospitalists
  • 5 General Obstetrics and Gynecology specialists
  • 9 Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists
  • 3 Family Planning specialists
  • 3 Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery specialists
  • 1 Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialists
  • 2 Research PhDs

 

In addition, we are proud to share:

  • We provide care in 13 ambulatory sites
  • We have been awarded $2.07 million in federal, state and private grants over two years
  • We have received 22 research contracts and grants
  • Our faculty have published 54 articles in peer-reviewed journals between July 2022 and June 2023

 

Recognition for UCI Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

America’s Best Maternity Hospitals, Newsweek

2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report ranked UCI Health Obstetrics & Gynecology #24

2023-24 U.S News & World Report High Performing Hospitals for Maternity Care, the highest-available rating

2022 Maternity Honor Roll Award – California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Agency, Hospital Quality Institute (HQI), and Cal Hospital Compare (CHC) for reducing births via cesarean section (C-Section) in first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies.

2023 MDC Superstar Award:  Medium Birth Voume Hospitals – California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC)

20 physicians named Physicians of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association

 

Faculty Achievements

Jin Bai, PhD - Burroughs Welcome Travel Award 2023 from the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) 

Donna G. Baick, MD, MPH – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Taylor Brueseke, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Robert E. Bristow, MD, MBA – Best Doctors in America, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, Advanced Course in Cytoreductive Surgery for Gynecologic Peritoneal Surface Malignancies 2023 – Course Director 

Jennifer Butler, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certifying examiner, Chaired the Society of OGYN Hospitalists Advisory Council  

Dongbao Chen, PhD - President Presenter Award, Society for Reproductive Investigation 

Judith H. Chung, MD, PhD - Exceptional Women in Medicine, Castle Connolly – Maternal Fetal Medicine, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, Serves on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Active Subspecialty Board Oral Examiner (Maternal Fetal Medicine), American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Written Board Question Writer for the General Obstetrics and Gynecology Board Examination, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Invited General Board Oral Examiner, Active, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Invited General Board Oral Examiner 

Laura Fitzmaurice, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Afshan B. Hameed, MD - Exceptional Women in Medicine, Castle Connolly – Maternal Fetal, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, Leads national study to screen for cardiovascular disease during pregnancy with funding from the Diagnostic Excellence Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and a grant form the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Presented at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Workshop, Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Maternal Health Care?on Diagnostic Excellence: Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Pregnancy 

Tabetha Harken, MD, MPH - Southern California Rising Starts, Super Doctors, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Tamera Hatfield, MD, PhD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Jennifer Jolley, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Christine Kim, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Michael Krychman, MD - International Society for Study of Women’s Sexual Health Award, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Felicia Lane, MD MS - ASLMS Best Overall Clinical Research and Innovations Award, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, Serves on American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Certification Examination Development Committee 

Carol A. Major, MD - Exceptional Women in Medicine, Castle Connolly – Maternal Fetal Medicine. OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, Elected to be the President-Elect of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO), and co-Founder and co-Director of UCI LEAD-ABC Program had first cohorts of graduates in 2023.  

Rachel Perry, MD, MPH – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Manuel Porto, MD - Super Doctors of Southern California, Castle Connolly Top Doctor-20 Years 

Elena Rhoads-Baeza, MD PhD - CREOG – National Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident education 2023 

Naghmeh Salamat Saberi, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Rebecca Sauer, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Jonathan Steller, MD - Southern California Rising Starts, Super Doctors  

Krishnansu S. Tewari, MD – Best Doctors in America, OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award, The Golden Apple Award – Outstanding Teaching (LBMMC) 

Dariush Tonkaboni, MD – OCMA Physicians of Excellence Award 

Pathik Wadhwa, MD - Partnered with UCI Development, Health, and Disease Research Program on two R01s on stress and fetal programming of stem cell biology 

Black PEARL Project Team Award -  Drs. Rhoads, Thie de Bocanegra, Major, and Hatfield key contributors on this Award funded by DHHS  

Developed a national quality?measure, "CVD Risk Assessment Measure- Proportion of pregnant/postpartum patients who receive CVD Risk Assessment with a standardized tool" (Quality?ID 2022-048), which was added to the Merit Payment Incentive System by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for years 2022-2023.? – Afshan Hameed, MD, Heike Thiel de Bocanegra, PhD 

Partnered with Department of Pediatrics on a four-year project Black PEARL (Promoting Equity Anti-Racism and Love) Model: Systemic Integration of Community Maternal Support Services to Achieve Birthing Justice, Equity, and Joy for BIPOC Families  [CPIMP231376-01-00 ], funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health.,  Performance Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2027 Total Amount: $ 4.9 million