Now Accepting Fellow Applications for 2025 Appointments!

Upcoming FMIGS Program Requirements

AAGL Fellowship Program

AAGL’s Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (FMIGS) was developed to address the concern that most graduating residents in obstetrics and gynecology were not fully trained in modern endoscopic surgery.

The Fellowship offers two and three year comprehensive training program in advanced gynecologic endoscopy to graduating gynecologic residents who are interested in a focus in minimally invasive surgery.

Offered through 54 hospital sites across the USA, 3 in Canada, 1 in Brazil, 1 in Colombia, 1 in Mexico and 1 in Ireland.

Educational objectives focus on evidence-based medicine, anatomical principles, instrumentation, operative laparoscopy, operative hysteroscopy, and robotics.

600+ fellow have successfully graduated the FMIGS program.

Definition of a MIGS Surgeon: A minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon is a physician who has obtained additional training and/or experience to manage complex gynecologic disorders, and can serve as a consultant for the community.

Mission Statement

The mission of the national and international Fellowships in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery is to assure quality training for graduates of OBGYN residencies who desire to focus their career in the delivery of excellent advanced benign gynecologic surgery and clinical practice. We aspire to do this through:

  • Program Oversight—We oversee all FMIGS fellowship programs and work closely with their PDs, APDs, and fellows to maintain a high standard of training.
  • Educational Opportunities—We align with AAGL to provide annual educational opportunities for FMIGS fellows that follow our educational objectives and connect fellows with nationally-recognized faculty and encourage their growth as leaders.
  • Research Opportunities—We organize committees and identify resources to allow fellows to participate in national collaborations for the design, implementation, and publication of research that aim to improve women’s health.
  • Strategic Planning—We will closely monitor the need and opportunity for MIGS training in the US and abroad; and collaborate with other OBGYN organizations regarding subspecialty recognition and benchmarks. Additionally, we will continue to assess ongoing patient outcomes in order to modify training parameters and suggest practice guidelines.
  • Patient Care—In addition to surgical training, we will provide high-level educational opportunities for the medical treatment of complex benign gynecologic disorders. We will collaborate with patients and patient-advocates to provide evidence-based educational materials and facilitate communication about these conditions.

Our vision is to assure quality and uniform training of graduates of the fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.

History

In the late 1980s, Veasy Buttram, M.D. proposed and initiated a one-year fellowship in reproductive surgery. The program was developed because he recognized that most graduating residents in obstetrics and gynecology were not fully trained in modern endoscopic surgery. In addition, it was recognized that private physicians were developing most of the advances in endoscopic surgery in non-university hospitals. Several leading reproductive surgeons who were recognized for their surgical skills and interests in teaching were recruited to serve as preceptors for the SRS (Society of Reproductive Surgeons) Fellowship.

During the 1990s, similar fellowships were established on an ad hoc basis without formal affiliation with the AAGL or the SRS. These fellowships focused on a variety of clinical areas, primarily due to the interests and practices of the sponsoring physician. In 2001, the AAGL and the SRS Fellowship Committee collaborated to establish the Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (FMIGS) with a standardized minimal curriculum and a requirement for research. The first Fellowships were granted to seven preceptees at seven sites throughout the United States. No longer affiliated with the SRS, the AAGL/FMIGS program has successfully graduated 450+ fellows.