The ACGME accredited Fellowship in Complex Family Planning at Stanford University maximizes the resources of one the world’s premier universities. The program blends clinical training, with public health education, and offers opportunities for experience in international settings, policymaking, advocacy and clinical or basic science research. In addition to focused training in complex family planning (complex family planning (including abortion, contraception and early pregnancy management), fellows are also members of the Gynecology Service in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford. The concomitant existence of a Ryan Training Program offers the fellow potential for a significant teaching and supervisory role between Family Planning Fellows and Ob/Gyn Residents.

See the Society of Family Planning's Fellowship in Family Planning website.

Fellowship interview dates

• Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Please contact the CFP Fellowship Program Manager with any questions.

The Stanford Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) urology fellowship is a 2 year ACGME ABU/ABOG accredited program, which prepares the fellow for a career in academic medicine by providing training in complex reconstructive urological care, as well as a solid foundation in basic science or clinical research. The training combines clinical experience at the Stanford University Medical Center and basic science or clinical health sciences research. The fellowship is a joint endeavor with Stanford Urology and Urogynecology faculty training providing a full experience of pelvic reconstruction. The program is currently accepting a urology trained fellow every even year, and a gynecology trained fellow every odd year.

The fellow is directly supervised by 4 faculty members at Stanford University Medical Center. Fellows graduate with an operative experience of 600+ procedures, including vaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair, vaginal hysterectomy, midurethral slings, bladder neck slings, male incontinence slings, artificial urinary sphincter placement, collagen injections, botulinum toxin injections, laparoscopic/robotic and open sacrocolpopexy, bladder augmentation, creation of catheterizable stomas and repair of vesicovaginal fistula.  All aspects of open, endoscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic pelvic and reconstructive urology are taught. One to two days per week are spent in the operating room, with graduated responsibility for resident teaching as the year progresses. The fellow is responsible for supervising the Stanford urology residents on the service for inpatient care and consultations. Two to three days per week is spent in clinic, rotating with each faculty member. Supervising and interpreting videourodynamic studies are emphasized during portions of training.

How to Apply

We are a combined fellowship program with a unique structure for recruiting candidates: In 2025, we will be interviewing for a Gynecology fellow and in 2026, we will be interviewing for a Urology fellow. The next interview date for the program is scheduled for: April 18, 2025.

Applications are accepted through ERAS.

Fellowship Director

Craig Comiter, MD
URPS Fellowship Director

Taranjit Bains
Associate Director of Education
E-mail: bainstj@stanford.edu

Welcome to our growing program! We're excited to introduce you to Stanford PAG, where you'll develop both clinical excellence and academic expertise in pediatric and adolescent gynecology.

Program Information

• Expanding program: 4 dedicated PAG faculty, accepting 1 fellow annually
• 30% protected non-clinical time for research and teaching
• 2-year fellowship preparing you for academic PAG careers
• Established in 2021, the first fellow started in 2022

Training Overview

Our mission: Equip fellows with the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes to provide comprehensive, expert care for pediatric and adolescent patients with gynecologic concerns.

Clinical Experience (70%)

Typical weekly schedule:

• 1 day: Teaching/research
• 1 day: Precepted fellow clinic
• 2 days: PAG and multidisciplinary clinics
• 1 day: Operating room

Multidisciplinary collaborations include:

• Differences of Sex Development
• Hematology-Gynecology
• Complex Anorectal Malformations
• Gender Care 
• Fertility Preservation 

Surgical Training

Our PAG team performed >250 procedures in 2025, with volume expected to be higher in 2026 (Dr. Sumida joined late 2025).

Fellows gain expertise in:

• In-office procedures: Vaginoscopy, IUD/implant insertion/removal, hymenectomy
• Emergency Room procedures: Straddle injury repair, abscess I&D, etc. 
• OR procedures: Full PAG scope of vulvovaginal procedures (hymenectomy, septum resections, vaginoplasty, etc.), laparoscopy/mini-lap (adnexal masses, fertility preservation, endometriosis, etc.), and 
• Special skills: Robotic laparoscopy, CO₂ laser techniques, complex vaginoplasty/neovaginal procedures

Research & Scholarship (30%)

Stanford provides exceptional research support:

• 2 months of dedicated research time (two 2-week blocks, 1 month block)
• Weekly protected academic time throughout fellowship
• Conference funding 
• Support resources: IRB assistance, biostatistics, and grant funding opportunities
• Optional coursework: research “bootcamp” (ICCR), master's degree programs (with programmatic support)

Expectation: Complete a research project resulting in a presentation and/or publication

Special Rotations

After initial PAG immersion, fellows rotate through:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Pediatric Urology
• Pain clinic (adult and pediatric)
• Elective options: Child Abuse, Endocrinology, Oncology/Survivorship, Gender care, Disordered eating, MIGS, and more

Call & Vacation

• PAG call: 1 week/month (staffed by PAG attending)
• General GYN call: 3-4 shifts/month (combined with shifts already on PAG call)
• Vacation: 20 days annually

Clinical Sites

Two locations (15-25 minutes apart):

1.    Palo Alto Main Campus

• Stanford Medicine Children's Hospital (new Pediatric ED opened in 2022)
• Stanford Health Care adult hospital
• Center for Academic Medicine (fellow workspaces, conference rooms, gym)

2.    Sunnyvale Specialty Clinic

• Most PAG outpatient clinics
• REI services and cryopreservation lab

Didactics & Teaching

Regular conferences:

• Stanford GYN Fellows College (biweekly)
• Department Grand Rounds (weekly)
• NASPAG Fellow Lecture Series & Journal Clubs
• DSD-TRN Case Conferences
• GYN M&M, Preop Conferences, and subspecialty journal clubs (Peds surg, REI, etc.)

Teaching responsibilities:

• Medical students (lectures, clerkship facilitation)
• Residents (lectures, SIM labs, precepting R2 PAG rotations)
• Grand Rounds presentation (2nd year)

Living in the Bay Area

Location: Palo Alto, between San Francisco and San Jose

Housing: Fellows typically live within 30 minutes (Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Redwood City) due to call responsibilities. Stanford provides competitive salaries, housing stipends, and additional benefits. Current stipend info

Lifestyle highlights:

• Outdoor: Hiking, biking, beaches, skiing at Tahoe, Yosemite, Big Sur
• Urban: SF museums, opera, ballet, symphony, sports (Giants, Earthquakes, etc.)
• Food: Ferry Building, farmers markets, diverse cuisines, Napa/Paso Robles wine country within an hour's drive
• Walkable downtowns near campus: Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View

Why Stanford PAG?

Unique advantages:

• Integrated pediatric and adult care on one campus
• Outstanding teaching opportunities with medical students and residents deeply involved in PAG
• Close collaboration with other specialties, including Peds surgical services, Peds Heme/Onc, Peds Pain, Peds/Adult Gender Care, REI, etc. 
• World-class research resources and funding
• Robust surgical volume, including robotic surgery expertise
• Ample elective time and support for individualized career pathways
• California sunshine!

Program Director:  

Stephanie Cizek, MD
Email: scizek@stanford.edu

Program Coordinator:
Victoria Contreras
Email: vcontrer@stanford.edu

Deadline for application submission

Stanford is a 2-year program that currently accepts one PAG fellow every year, with our next fellow starting in August 2026. We will be accepting applications in the 2027 interview cycle.

Please submit your application materials to Victoria. Fellowship application materials can be found through FellowshipsCAS | Applicant Login Page.

Please contact Victoria and Dr. Cizek with any questions.
Click here to learn more about our PAG specialty. 
Find more information about North American PAG Fellowships at NASPAG.