Gynecologic Oncology Integrative MIS Fellowship

A fellowship in minimally invasive surgery, focused on robotics, and personalized cancer care

Welcome to the GOI Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Personalized Integrative Oncology. This is a one-year training program where fellows dedicate 60% of their time to clinical care and 40% to scholarly activities, such as clinical and translational/bench research.

Our primary goal is to train physicians to be leaders in gynecologic robotic surgery and in personalized oncology, including targeted cancer therapies and integrative holistic patient-centered care.

Upon completion of this fellowship program, you will be ready for:

  • Gynecologic pelvic surgery practice with advanced knowledge and expertise in minimally invasive surgery and integrative patient care
  • Expert surgical navigation of the abdomen, pelvis and retroperitoneum, facilitating advanced pelvic surgery inclusive of endometriosis excision and genito-urinary technique
  • Continuation of training in an ACGME fellowship in gynecologic oncology, if board eligibility is the goal
  • International practice of gynecologic oncology, robotic surgery and integrative oncology with accreditation as dictated by regulations in their home country
  • Incorporation of research methodology and evidence-based practice principles in clinical and translational sciences

This fellowship is designed for:

  • Graduates of an ACGME accredited residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology, or international equivalent, who are either licensed in or can obtain a license in California
  • Those interested in pursuing a career in gynecologic oncology in the United States or abroad
  • Those who have completed fellowship training in gynecologic oncology but desire further training and experience in advanced robotic surgery
  • Those who are interested in incorporating rational evidence-supported integrative principles into their future oncology practice

Faculty:
The lead faculty for this fellowship is Dr. Vasilev, a pioneer in radical minimally invasive surgery since 1990, who has taught over 70 fellows and several hundred residents at UCI, USC, UCLA, City of Hope, Kaiser, and White Memorial in Los Angeles. Additional participating faculty are from the JWCI/Saint John’s Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Surgical Oncology, Urology, Medical Oncology, and White Memorial Gynecology. While this is not formally a combined fellowship with any other institutions, faculty from Loma Linda University via White Memorial also participate in surgical training.

At the G.O. Institute we help support the Saint John’s surgical and urologic oncology fellowships via joint surgical case management.

Interested applicants should contact us by email or directly by phone 424-255-1340

Gynecologic Oncology Institute Education Program

Educational Mission

Gynecologic Oncology Institute’s prime directive is patient-centered high-tech warm-touch and holistic approach to cancer.  This involves a dedicated team, including fully licensed house-staff physicians, to meet your care needs in a timely and personal fashion.

From the beginning, GOI identified ongoing education of physicians, house-staff resident and fellows and the community as a pillar to support your care and the greater healthcare good of the community.

Continuing education of all those involved in supporting your treatment and survivorship journey ensures up-to-date team-based delivery of state-of-the-art care.

Educational Events

View Upcoming Events

Teaching Program

Overview of teaching program at Gynecologic Oncology Institute Santa Monica: Download a copy of the program.

White Memorial OB/GYN Residency Program

White Memorial ObGyn Residency

Providence Saint John’s Health Center

As the affiliate director of the minimally invasive and robotics rotation at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, I welcome the opportunity to help train tomorrow’s leading physicians.  The rotation here is heavily based on complicated GYN surgery and oncology using minimally invasive techniques, focused on robotics.  Another valuable aspect to this rotation is an integrative natural health approach to healing and prevention.  Resident physicians help support the high-tech and personal touch program we have here at G.O. Institute @ Saint John’s.

Steven A. Vasilev, M.D.
Oncology Program Director, WMMC OBGyn Residency
Professor, Loma Linda University School of Medicine

And now a word from the parent site WMMC Program Director herself…..

“As program director of the OB/GYN Residency Program here at White Memorial, I would like to welcome you to our website and invite you on a virtual tour of our OB/GYN Residency program.

We are proud of the clinical and academic opportunities that our program offers our residents. Our goal is to give the residents a complete experience that will prepare them for a career in OB/GYN. With our large patient population on campus as well as our off-site clinical venues, I feel confident that we meet that goal. Our residents leave our program with a solid understanding of the clinical challenges facing today’s OB/GYN physician as well as the skills to deal with them.

While academic and clinical aspects of our program are of ultimate importance, we also embrace the fact that residents are real people and need quality interpersonal relationships both in their personal lives and at work. I feel that our program offers a family-like atmosphere. The residents feel a sense of camaraderie and closeness afforded by a resident team. The relationship between attending faculty members and residents is one of accessibility and learning.

Feel free to visit our site, interact with our current residents through e-mail and ask them questions about our program. We hope that through this website, you will get a better understanding of our program and what we have to offer your future personal and career development. ”

Cinna Wohlmuth, M.D.
Program Director WMMC OBGyn Residency

Contact The American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
The American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
2915 Vine Street
Dallas, TX 752054
Telephone: (214) 871-1619
Fax: (214) 871-1943

Helpful Links:

Gynecologic Oncology Institute Research Program

Research Overview

Gynecologic Oncology Institute’s patient-centered high-tech warm-touch and holistic approach to cancer — combining physicians, surgeons, scientists and complementary practitioners — is quite unique in general, and certainly stands alone on the West-side.

From the beginning, GOI identified cancer research as a central element of its mission to help you beat cancer by all means possible.

 We are looking to help diagnose cancer earlier, help patients survive longer and, most of all, ensure thriving in survivorship.

Clinical Trials

View Available Clinical Trials

Scientific Report 2017

Review ongoing and planned research at Gynecologic Oncology Institute Santa Monica: Download a copy of the report.

Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research

At the Gynecologic Oncology Institute, we help our patients look at ALL options, including tomorrow’s standard therapies today.  We deliver “many options” combined with high-tech but personalized focus, and this helps us help you fight the best fight possible.

By having world-renowned scientists, physicians and treatment facilities working side by side at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, we’re able to direct you to your best options even if that best option is located elsewhere.

Many of today’s most effective cancer and disease therapies are based on the results of clinical trials that depend on volunteer patients. By being part of a clinical trial, a patient could benefit from the latest treatments available, treatments that are promising but unproven.

In addition to our current offerings, search through the national NCI clinical trials database below. See if any of them sound promising and interesting to you.  As with all decisions regarding your medical care, the choice to participate is yours to make. We will do our best to advise you about your options.

Can you provide me with information about clinical trials at Gynecologic Oncology Institute?

You can access the online clinical trials database below or call us to find out about clinical trials that are being conducted at GOI and other centers; but before you can participate in a specific trial, you must be seen by a doctor to discuss whether you are eligible. Once you are seen, you will be provided with information about treatment and can inquire about clinical trials.

Who should participate in a clinical trial?

A patient participating in a clinical trial typically receives a promising new treatment that needs to be investigated in order to receive government approval. For many patients facing life-threatening diseases who have exhausted the available treatment options, clinical trials offer new hope for survival.
The range of trials available today is extremely broad. Although many trials focus on patients with more advanced disease, a significant number of studies fall into areas such as screening techniques, early disease treatment and alleviation of symptoms. All clinical trials have specific guidelines for participant eligibility. These guidelines are based on such factors as type of disease, age, medical history and current medical condition. Before entering into a clinical trial, you must meet the criteria for the study.
The benefits and risks
Participating in a clinical trial can be a way of helping yourself and others. Patients who participate in a clinical trial often feel they are taking a more active role in their care. In a clinical trial, participants have access to new drugs and treatments before they are widely available. Because controlling and recording all factors is critical to the trial’s success, participants get excellent attention and are closely monitored and cared for. In addition, the data gathered from the trial can go on to benefit others.
There are risks to participating in clinical trials that must be weighed against the potential benefits. There may be some unpleasant or serious side effects from treatment. The trial may take a lot of time with repeat hospital visits, additional treatments and involved dosages. And the treatment may not end up being effective for the person participating.

What are the different types of clinical trials?

Clinical trial research is designed by scientists, doctors and statisticians for a variety of different clinical objectives, ranging from disease prevention to quality of life. This is a very rigorous process and included ethics review involving community lay people.
Disease prevention: test new approaches to prevent diseases in people who have never had the disease or to prevent it from coming back in people who have already had the disease.
Disease screening and detection: test new approaches to find a disease in its earliest stage, optimizing the potential success of the treatment.
Disease treatment: test new treatments such as a new drug, new approaches to surgery or radiation therapy, new combinations of treatments or a new treatment method.
Symptom management: test new treatment approaches to reduce the side effects from primary treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery.
Quality of life: explore ways to define and measure the patient’s experiences during and after treatment, such as psychosocial problems, daily functioning and pain management.

What is a research or clinical trial protocol?

All clinical trials are based upon a study plan called a protocol. Designed with great care, the plan helps to ensure the safety of the participants and answer specific research questions. A protocol details the specifics of the study: who can participate, different procedures, test schedules, medications and dosages, and the length of the study.

What are the different phases of a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are conducted in four different phases with each phase serving a specific purpose to researchers.
Phase I: Assess the safety of a new drug. The phase is usually done with a small group of people (20 to 80) and evaluates how the body handles the drug, safe dosage ranges and side effects.
Phase II: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group (100 to 300) to determine effectiveness and to continue to evaluate safety.
Phase III: Hundreds or even thousands of people may receive a new drug or treatment and be followed for several years. This phase helps confirm the effectiveness of the drug, gauge side effects and gather information so the drug or treatment can be used safely.
Phase IV: The drug or treatment has received Food and Drug Administration approval and is widely marketed. This allows researchers to gather additional safety information on an even larger group of people and gather data on a drug or treatment’s long-term effectiveness and how it affects quality of life. The drug or treatment may also be evaluated for cost and against other similar drugs already on the market.

What exactly are 'clinical trials'?

A clinical trial is a scientifically designed study conducted to:
  • Answer specific questions about vaccines, new therapies or novel ways of using known treatments.
  • Determine whether new drugs or treatments are effective.
  • Develop new procedures and treatments to improve patient outcomes and advance medical science.
Each trial is a partnership involving a patient, a physician, a medical organization and frequently a government agency or private company that sponsors the research. These clinical trials help to redefine treatment outcomes and care standards for patients nationwide.

What are the benefits of clinical trials?

Clinical trials offer an opportunity for patients to take an active role in their health care. By participating, patients have the chance to make a difference in their own lives and those of future generations.
A clinical trial may also be the best way to get the most advanced, leading-edge treatment. Participants may have access to new drugs and treatments before they are widely available, and because controlling and recording all factors is critical to the trial’s success, participants get excellent attention and are closely monitored and cared for. If you are interested in taking part in a clinical trial or would like more information about clinical trials call us.

GOI considers clinical research options to be a very important part of your care.  When standard therapies fail, new advances are being developed faster than ever before. Our pledge is to keep you informed of clinical trials options during your treatment with us.