iuga.news

Program Available for IUGA eXchange in Hangzhou, China

We are excited to announce that on April 11 and 12, 2019, we will be in Hangzhou, China! The program for our newest IUGA eXchange program, held at the Hangzhou Women’s Hospital, is now available. To see the program and learn more about this IUGA eXchange, click here.

Message from our new President, Ranee Thakar

Our New President is Looking Forward in 2019

Happy 2019! I hope that you have all had a wonderful holiday season and are ready for an exciting year to come!

As the incoming President of IUGA, I must recognize and thank both Bob Freeman and Lynsey Hayward for their hard work. Due to their incredible contributions, IUGA is thriving, growing, and able to invest in our members and in our future.

During my presidency, I will focus on building and fostering collaborations with our affiliates and other societies, ensuring that our activities are applicable to our geographically-diverse and multi-disciplinary membership, and serving you, our members, by providing opportunities to learn, grow professionally and share knowledge.

In September of this year, we will hold our IUGA Annual Meeting in collaboration with AUGS Pelvic Floor Disorder (PFD) Week. I hope you will join us in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, for what promises to be an opportunity to combine learning and sharing the latest scientific developments with networking and meeting friends, both old and new.

Although serving as President of an international organization with more than 3,000 members is always a challenge, we enter 2019 in a stable financial position filled with promising new opportunities. IUGA’s future is bright and we only see it getting brighter in 2019!

With best wishes,

Ranee Thakar

Ranee Thakar
IUGA President

IUGA Academy launches new app

Because we are always looking for ways to better serve our busy members, the IUGA Academy is now available on-the-go! Download the new app for free and check out all of the educational opportunities- now available on your smartphone! To check it out, click here!

Workshop and Roundtable Proposals Now Being Accepted

Do you want present in a workshop or roundtable session at the AUGS/IUGA Scientific Meeting in 2019? Until February 1, 2019, we are accepting proposals for workshops and roundtables. To find out more or to submit your workshop or roundtable, click here.

IUGA Celebrates International Volunteer Day

Observed since 1985, International Volunteer Day (December 5) provides us a chance to recognize the many volunteers who contribute to the success of IUGA. It takes many hands to keep an association like IUGA moving forward and best in the field. While some volunteers are very visible, others remain behind the scenes, but their contributions are just as important. Today we thank ALL of our volunteers – over 1,100!! – who shared their time, talent, and expertise with us in 2018.

View Volunteers

2018 IUGA Observership Grant Recipients Announced

We are pleased to announce the 2018 IUGA Observership Grant Recipients. One $4,000 USD grant is awarded to a trainee, fellow, or physician-in-training, and one to a consultant from a least developed country, as defined by the World Bank. A third grant in the amount of $2,000 USD is awarded to an IUGA member who does not meet the criteria for either of the other grant categories.

This year’s recipients are:

  • Fatimat Motunrayo Akinlusi (Nigeria) hosted by Ranee Thakar and Abdul Sultan at Croydon University Hospital (United Kingdom)
  • Merry Gong (Canada) hosted by Ranee Thakar and Abdul Sultan at Croydon University Hospital (United Kingdom)
  • Hedwig Neels (Belgium) hosted by Hans Peter Dietz at the University of Sydney, Nepean Clinical School (Australia)

We expect the next Observership Grant application cycle to open in Spring 2019. To learn more about these awards, visit www.iuga.org/grants/observership.

New Podcast Available

Now available: the newest IUGA Podcast by Albert De Decker

Season 2 Episode 1 - How to read and write an article

'Why is scientific reading and writing still necessary, where lie the pitfalls and where lies the beauty?'

Interviews with the panel of experts; Professor Jean Jacques Amy, Professor Jason Abbott, Dr Vanessa Jordan and Professor Peter Dwyer

To check it out, click here

Run-off Election for Vice President

No Vice President candidate received over 50% of the vote in the recently completed IUGA elections. A run-off election is therefore required between the top two candidates.

All members are asked to log onto the IUGA website and vote for one Vice President candidate before December 7.

Vote Now

Call for Committee Volunteers

Our organization is dependent on the expertise and time our members voluntarily contribute. We need the best skills, passion, and varied perspectives to continue building on our success. If you are looking to enrich your IUGA experience and contribute to the field of Urogynecology in a new and rewarding way, now is your chance! We are accepting applications for openings on the following committees:
• Education Committee
• Fellows & Trainees Committee
• Membership Committee
• Publications Committee
• Public Relations Committee
• Research & Development Committee
• Terminology & Standardization Committee

Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2018 at 11:59pm CST. Descriptions of the committees can be found below.

Eligibility

Membership on IUGA's committees is open to all interested physicians, non-physicians, and physicians in training who hold current membership in IUGA. The intent is for committee membership to mirror the geographic diversity of the IUGA Membership.

Members are limited to serving on only one committee at any given time, with the exception of Fellows & Trainees Committee members who may also be assigned to another committee to represent the trainee perspective across the organization.

Term

Members added to IUGA committees as a result of this Call for Committee Volunteers will have a term start date of January 1, 2019. The length of the term is listed below specific to each committee.

Apply

To apply for a committee position, please email the following to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday, November 30, 2018:
• Name of the committee to which you are applying
• A brief statement of interest explaining why you are interested in serving on the committee, including any relevant experience you have to the work of the committee
• CV (in English)
• Disclosure Form (complete HERE
• Letter on institutional letterhead verifying your enrollment in a fellowship/physician-in-training program (this item only applies to applicants to the Fellows & Trainees Committee)

The above items must all be received by Friday, November 30, 2018, in order for your application to be considered complete. Only complete applications will be forwarded to Committee Chairs for consideration.

Education Committee
Chairperson: Catherine Matthews
Term Length: 3 years

Description: The Education Committee develops, promotes, and maintains the educational offerings of the association, including the IUGA Academy. It oversees the program content for Regional Symposia and eXchange programs, and reviews applications submitted for Endorsed Programs and observership grants. The Education Committee also conducts the workshop selection process for the Annual Meeting and guides other educational activities of the association. Members of the Education Committee are assigned to one of three subcommittees (Workshop Subcommittee, Program Subcommittee, or E-learning Subcommittee).

Fellows & Trainees Committee
Chairperson: Svjetlana Lozo
Term Length: 2 years

Description: The main duty of the IUGA Fellows & Trainees Committee is to contribute to the academic development of fellows in the field of urogynecology/female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery by fostering international scholarship and making recommendations to the Education and Research & Development Committees regarding fellowship activities.

Special Application Instructions: In addition to submitting a statement of interest, CV, and disclosure form, applicants to the Fellows & Trainees Committee must also submit a letter on institutional letterhead verifying their enrollment in a fellowship/training program. This committee is open to urogynecology fellows/trainees and fellows in other specialties and allied health sciences who have an interest in pelvic floor disorders who are current IUGA members.

Membership Committee
Chairperson: Abdul Sultan
Term Length: 2 years

Description: The Membership Committee works in partnership with IUGA staff to develop and execute member recruitment and retention strategies and to provide input on membership-related processes.

Publications Committee
Chairperson: Debby Karp
Term Length: 3 years

Description: The Publications Committee publishes the official IUGA Newsletter quarterly, and tracks submitted content for inclusion in the Newsletter, online news posts, or on social media channels. Committee members are involved in writing and reviewing articles, finding authors for articles, and suggesting content.

Public Relations Committee
Chairperson: Olanrewaju Sorinola
Term Length: 3 years

Description: The Public Relations Committee is responsible for the development and management of media communications on behalf of IUGA to the community, patients, physicians and IUGA members. This includes developing content for patient information brochures and other educational materials for the Online Store and patient website. Members of the Social Media Subcommittee are responsible for contributing content for social media posts on a monthly basis and providing input on growing IUGA’s social media presence.

Special Application Instructions: Please indicate if you are especially interested in serving on the Social Media Subcommittee.

Research & Development Committee
Chairperson: Pallavi Latthe
Term Length: 3 years

Description: The Research & Development Committee is responsible for the IUGA Research Grants (in basic science and clinical research) and reviewing surveys and requests to disseminate surveys to the IUGA membership. The committee also develops and promotes research manuscripts and projects through its members and interested individuals. Specific expertise in urogynecology research (basic sciences and/or clinical) is required.

Terminology & Standardization Committee
Chairperson: Renaud de Tayrac (beginning 2019)
Term Length: 3 years

Description: The Terminology & Standardization Committee is responsible for the development, publication and subsequent management of IUGA documents related to terminology and standardization. At times, there will be joint projects with one or more other societies. Subsequent management includes translation of the published documents.