Dr. Sarah Ashmore is our second year (PGY-6) Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery fellow. She was born in Hawaii and grew up in Colorado. After completing medical school at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, she pursued her OB/GYN residency at Allegheny Health Network. We were fortunate enough to recruit Dr. Ashmore in the fellowship from there. Dr. Ashmore’s research interests include OR sustainability, female surgeon ergonomics, and understanding the impact of the urinary microbiome on a patient’s quality of life and treatment success. She also has a passion for global health and has traveled on medical missions to Rwanda with the International Organization for Women and Development (IOWD). After completing fellowship, Dr. Ashmore plans to return to a rural setting and provide care to the underserved. She loves to spend her free time outdoors with her husband (John) and two dogs (Bean and Hank). Her favorite Chicago activities are listening to live music, walking around Humbolt Park, and frequenting new restaurants.
Dr. Doug Russo is our first year (PGY-5) Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery fellow. He comes to the University of Chicago after completing both medical school and his residency at the University of Iowa. He considers northern Virginia and central Florida to be home. While Dr. Russo is new to fellowship training, he is interested in pursuing surgical outcomes research as well as surgical innovation and use of emerging and novel technologies in surgical subspecialties. In his free time, Dr. Russo always makes sure to keep up with ice hockey and still plays at least once a week in the local adult league. He also enjoys anything that can get him into the mountains or outdoors! He is a big fan of live music, comedy shows, and is currently doing a comprehensive literature review on Chicago's best pizza and craft breweries.
Dr. Iris Burgard will be our incoming first-year (PGY-5) Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellow in July of 2024. She will be coming to the University of Chicago after completing her residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado. There, Dr. Burgard serves as the Junior Fellow Chair for ACOG’s Colorado Chapter; she is also very active in the AMA. During her residency, Dr. Burgard has presented several oral and poster presentations at both AUGS and SGS annual meetings. In her free time, Dr. Burgard enjoys the outdoors. In 2015, she was an NCAA Track and Field All-American athlete and ran the 400 meter for the Icelandic National Track and Field team. She and her husband also own and operate their bakery, Mile High Pie Company; their gourmet pies and tarts can be found at several stores in the Denver area. We are so excited that Dr. Burgard will be bringing her skills (both surgical and baking) to Chicago!