Research Resources

Professional Development

Gemma Nightingale

Tell us about where you currently live (city/country) and how you ended up in this location.

I currently live in Salisbury, UK and work in Hampshire.

Tell us about your work - your job title, where you work, how long you've worked in the field, areas of focus or research, etc.

I am in my final year of Obstetrics and Gynaecology training, specializing in Vaginal Surgery and Urogynaecology.

When and why did you decide to join IUGA?

I joined IUGA 4 years ago when my interest in Urogynaecology was sparked. Initially I joined prior to attending the AGM but am now involved in the Fellows, Trainees, and Early Career Professionals Committee.

What has been your most rewarding or memorable IUGA experience?

Meeting people at the IUGA meeting in Vienna and being part of the first Fellow's webinar.

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy baking, sewing, paddle boarding, and walking with my family and dog.

Annika Taithongchai

Tell us about where you currently live (city/country) and how you ended up in this location.

South London, England.

Tell us about your work - your job title, where you work, how long you've worked in the field, areas of focus or research, etc.

I am currently a trainee, having recently completed a clinical research fellowship with Miss. Thakar and Mr. Sultan. My areas of interest are endoanal and pelvic floor scanning.

When and why did you decide to join IUGA?

Having attended my first IUGA conference in Nice, I realized what a wonderful family IUGA was. I have been provided with opportunities to meet fellow peers and a platform to discuss and learn all things necessary.

What has been your most rewarding or memorable IUGA experience?

Being part of the team hosting the first IUGA Allied Professionals Symposium earlier this year. It was a resounding success. It was exciting to hear topics discussed amongst such varied professionals, emphasizing one of the amazing things about urogynaecology being it's multidisciplinary nature.

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy anything outdoors from skiing and snowboarding, hiking or netball to playing in the park with my son.

What is one "fun fact" about you?

I have done audiobook narration for over 20 children's books.

Svjetlana Lozo

Tell us about where you currently live (city/country) and how you ended up in this location.

I just completed my fellowship at University of Chicago/Northshore Program. My new position is starting on October 1st and I am excited to join Columbia University Medical Center and their Minimally Invasive Gynecology Group. I absolutely love NYC and wanted to join academic practice, so when this opportunity came up, I had no questions it was the right choice for me.

Tell us about your work - your job title, where you work, how long you've worked in the field, areas of focus or research, etc.

I just completed three year fellowship at University of Chicago/Northshore Program and had great time there. My research focus during the fellowship was quality improvement, medical education and long term surgical outcomes. Prior to my move to "Windy City" I completed fellowship in Global Health and spent majority of my time working on medical training and improvement of health care systems in western Kenya.

When and why did you decide to join IUGA?

My mentor during the residency spoke highly of IUGA. Members that she met and experiences that she had during the conferences. Therefore during my residency, I decided to join IUGA and find out what it had for trainees and fellows.

What has been your most rewarding or memorable IUGA experience?

It has been an honor and pleasure to work with IUGA members from all over the world. It has been extremely interesting to see how "fellows" experiences have been so different and yet still the same.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it?

I just read Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and would definitely recommend it. It explores experiences of people who are outliers; explores combination of hard work, luck and right timing.

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy traveling, exploring new places and visiting my friends around the world. When I am at home I am always up for finding a good coffee shop, exploring new restaurants or exploring new yoga studios.

What is one "fun fact" about you?

When I was 15, I moved to the US for high school and lived with a family in Philadelphia. That is my "American Family", who I absolutely adore and love and often talk about.