Educational Activities

Formal Education

• Weekly
• Department/institutional conferences
• Dedicated didactic lecture series
• Interdisciplinary tumor board
• Monthly
• Journal club
• Oral examination-style case conference
• Departmental clinical research meeting
• Ability to participate in the clinical research education study teams (CREST)
• Resident lecture series
• Department research group meeting

Dedicated clinical research year

Research

During their 12 months of research dedicated blocks, fellows will enhance their understanding of the latest scientific techniques, will be encouraged to interact with other scientists, and will mentor residents and medical students. They will have close mentorship of their dedicated research project by their research mentor, with oversight by the fellowship director with weekly follow up meetings. They will participate in institution wide research seminars through the department of Research and Innovation.

Publications:

• Ritchie J, Heyward Q, Taylor N, Ko E, Haggerty AF, Graul A. The frequency and persistence of lymphedema diagnosis and self-reported symptoms over 5 years in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2022 May 7;41:100996. doi: 10.1016/j.gore.2022.100996. PMID: 35592241; PMCID: PMC9112096.
• Martinez-Baladejo M, Graul A, Gifford T, Bell J, Anastasio H, Zighelboim I, Tolosa J. Pregnancy Outcomes after Administration of Monoclonal Antibodies Therapy for COVID-19. AJOG MFM 2022.
• Ackert KE, Bauerle W, Pellegrino AN, Stoltzfus J, Pateman S, Graves D, Graul A, Taylor N, Zighelboim I. Implementation of an ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) Protocol for Total Abdominal Hysterectomies: A Network-Wide Quality Improvement Initiative. JOM. 2023 doi: 10.1515/jom-2022-0204
• O. Aluko, Patel, S, A. Graul, D Mrunalini. A Rare Case of Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor in a Patient With Known Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 2023. Journal of the Endocrine Society, volume 7, Issue Supplement_1, October-November 2023, doi: 10.1210/jendso/bvad114.1666
• Samantha Leite, MD; Y. Stefanie Chen, MD; Kelly Riccio, MS; Nicholas Taylor, MD; Israel Zighelboim, MD; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE. Role of sentinel lymph node evaluation during hysterectomy for pre-operative pathology diagnoses of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia in a community hospital setting. Gyn Onc. Jan 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.01.026
• Liu L, Storino M, Chen YS, Walker AR, Da Costa D, Shukla S, Graul A. Mesonephric and Mesonephric-like Adenocarcinomas of the Gynecologic Tract: A Case Series and a Review of the Literature. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2025 Jan 10. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0000000000001097. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39869067.
• Walker AR, Leite S, Taylor N, Graul A. Lymph node assessment at the time of robotic hysterectomy for endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia: A cost-effectiveness analysis. Gynecol Oncol. 2025 Jan 6;193:24-29. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.12.018. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39764855.

Presentations:

• Kilic N, Ritchie J, Haggerty-Ford A, Ko E, Graul, A. (2021) Effect of palliative care services on quality of life over time among Gynecologic oncology patients. Poster presented at Society of Gynecologic Oncology Virtual meeting
• Julia Ritchie, John Pisan, Nicholas Taylor, Israel Zighelboim, Ashley Graul (2022).  Effect of insurance type on outcomes after minimally invasive hysterectomy by gynecologic oncologists Poster presented at Society of Gynecologic Oncology ; Phoenix, AZ.
• Samantha Leite, MD; Y. Stefanie Chen, MD; Kelly Riccio, MS; Nicholas Taylor, MD; Israel Zighelboim, MD; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE. Role of sentinel lymph node evaluation during hysterectomy for pre-operative pathology diagnoses of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia in a community hospital setting. 2023.Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society, Nashville, TN
• Nicholson, K, Harris, D, Schneider, L, Larson E, Hacker, M, Dalrymple J, Smith, A, Graul, A, Esselen K, Wiechert A. Resident perceptions prior to the introduction of a gynecologic oncology fellowship. 2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Tampa, FL.
• Samantha Leite, MD; Y. Stefanie Chen, MD; Kelly Riccio, MS; Nicholas Taylor, MD; Israel Zighelboim, MD; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE. Role of sentinel lymph node evaluation during hysterectomy for pre-operative pathology diagnoses of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia in a community hospital setting. 2023.Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Tampa, FL.
• O. Aluko, A. Graul. A Rare Case of Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor in a Patient With Known Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 2023. Poster presentation at ENDO, Chicago, IL
• Y. Stefanie Chen¹, Christina Toumanios², Samantha Leite¹, Allison Walker¹, Nicholas Taylor¹, Israel Zighelboim¹, Ashley Graul¹ The Role of Body Shape in Robotic Hysterectomy Surgical Outcomes. 2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society. Charlottesville, VA
• Allison R. Walker, MD¹; Kimberly Barr, MD²; Sarah Weinstein, MD ²; Deline Da Costa, MD³; Nicholas Taylor, MD¹; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE¹ . Treatment of primary uterine primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) with carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab. 2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society. Charlottesville, VA
• Allison R Walker, MD¹; Samatha Leite, MD²; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE¹ . Lymph Node Evaluation for Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia: An Analytic Model.  2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society. Charlottesville, VA
• Morgan Storino¹, Lisa Liu ¹, Y. Stefanie Chen ², Deline Da Costa ³, Ashley Graul ^2* . Mesonephric and mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas of the gynecologic tract: A case series. 2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society. Charlottesville, VA
• Y. Stefanie Chen MD¹, Julia Ritchie, MD², Emily Ko, MD MSCR³, Ashley Haggerty MD MSCE³, Nicholas Taylor, MD¹ , Ashley Graul, MD MSCE ^1. EFFECT OF PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICES ON QUALITY OF LIFE OVER TIME AMONG GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS. 2023. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society. Charlottesville, VA
• Kayleigh Durning¹, Y. Stefanie Chen², Samantha Leite², Allison Walker², Nicholas Taylor², Israel Zighelboim², Ashley Graul². The Role of Pre-Operative Sit-to-Stand Assessment in Robotic Hysterectomy Surgical Outcomes.  2024.Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, San Diego, CA
• Y. Stefanie Chen¹, Christine Li², Broc Pollinger³, Nicholas Taylor¹, Israel Zighelboim¹, Ashley Graul^1. Universal distress thermometer screening by a social worker in gynecologic oncology patients improves rate of distress screening. 2024.Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, San Diego, CA
• Allison R Walker, MD¹; Samatha Leite, MD²; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE¹ . Lymph Node Evaluation for Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia: An Analytic Model. 2024.Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, San Diego, CA
• Allison R Walker, MD¹; Samatha Leite, MD²; Ashley Graul MD, MSCE¹ . The role of frozen pathology in the evaluation of lymph nodes for endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia: a cost-effectiveness model. 2024. Poster presentation at the Winter Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Tahoe, CA
• Walker, A, Zighelboim I, genetics people, Graul A. Genetic counseling and subsequent cascade  genetic testing for women with a family history of pathogenic BRCA1 mutation: A cost-effectiveness model. Poster presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting; Chicago IL
• Coppetti, Petty, Walker, Alvarado, Huepenbecker,  Taylor, Graul, The effect of poly-allergy on ancillary service use among postoperative patients with gynecologic malignancies. 2024. Poster presented at Mid Atlantic Gyn Onc Society, Atlanta GA
• Walker, Alvarado, Huepenbecker, Graul. The effect of transportation services on completion of radiation therapy for gynecologic malignancies. 2024. Poster presented at Mid Atlantic Gyn Onc Society, Atlanta GA
• Walker, Jhaveri, Wagner , Alvarado, Huepenbecker,  Taylor, Zighelboim, Boulay, Graul. The Effectiveness of Low-Pressure Pneumoperitoneum on Post-Operative Outcomes in Gynecologic Oncology Surgery. 2024. Poster presented at Mid Atlantic Gyn Onc Society, Atlanta GA
• Leite, Wagner, Walker, Alvarado, Peck, Taylor, Zighelboim, Carr, Huepenbecker, Graul. Relationship between hemoglobin A1c screening and complication rates following surgical oncology and gynecologic oncology surgery. 2024. Poster presented at Mid Atlantic Gyn Onc Society, Atlanta GA
• Walker AR, Alvarado L, Huepenbecker S, Graul A. "The effect of transportation services on completion of radiation therapy for gynecologic malignancies". Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; Seattle, WA.
• Coppetti K; Petty M; Walker AR; Alvarado L; Huepenbecker S;  Taylor N; Graul A. "The effect of poly-allergy on ancillary service use among postoperative patients with gynecologic malignancies". Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; Seattle, WA.
• Leite S; Wagner S; Walker AR; Alvarado L; Peck L; Taylor N; Zighelboim I; Carr J; Huepenbecker S; Graul, A. "Relationship between hemoglobin A1c screening and complication rates following surgical oncology and gynecologic oncology surgery". Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting; Seattle, WA.
• Walker AR, Leite S, Chen YS, Huepenbecker SP, Graul A. “Sentinel lymph node biopsy at the time of hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.” The Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2025 Winter Meeting; Vancouver, BC.