Yale Ob/Gyn's 2026 C. Lee Buxton and Graduation Day

Years of clinical and research training culminate in one exciting, in-depth day. The 2026 chief residents of Yale School of Medicine's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences concluded their residency work on June 11 at this year's C. Lee Buxton Day.

Before graduating residents took the stage, guest speaker Laura Riley, MD, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, gave the 22nd Annual Nathan Kase Lecture.

Each graduate had a 10-minute window to present to the audience, which included faculty, trainee colleagues, friends, and family.

• Abdelrahman AlAshqar, MD – “Cardiovascular Outcomes in Individuals with Ovarian Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” AlAshqar was accepted into the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship at Stanford.
• Khadija Alshowaikh, MD – “Neonatal Outcomes in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Insulin vs. Oral Anti-Hyperglycemic Agents.” Alshowaikh was accepted into the Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Fellowship at Yale School of Medicine (YSM).
• Katarina Braun, MD, PhD – “Functional Oxytocin Receptor Desensitization and Resensitization in Primary Human Myometrial Cells.” Braun was accepted into the MFM Fellowship at YSM.
• Tamutenda Chidawanyika, MD, PhD – “Dissecting the Role of EIG121 in Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia: A Pilot Study.” Chidawanyika was accepted into the Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
• Alexa Dzienny, MD – “Real World Outcomes of Prebrolizumab and Reduced-Dose Lenvatinib in Recurrent Endometrial Cancer by Platinum and p53 Status.” Dzienny was accepted into the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship at Rutgers University.
• Ashley Goreshnik, MD – “Utility of Vulvar Cytology for Vulvar Cancer Surveillance: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis.” Goreshnik was accepted into the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship at USF Moffitt Cancer Center.
• Akailah Mason-Otey, MD – “United States Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Outcomes Using Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies: An Analysis of 2014-2020 SART CORS Database.” Mason-Otey was accepted into the REI Fellowship at the University of Michigan.
• Benjamin Pifer, MD – “Rates of Postpartum Diabetes Testing and Diagnosis of Type II Diabetes in the First Postpartum Year Among Individuals with Early Onset Gestational Diabetes.” Pifer was accepted into the MFM Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Finn Rivers, MD – “Assessing the Efficacy of a Case-based Curriculum on Gender Affirming Care for Ob/Gyn Residents.” Rivers will be part of the academic gynecologic specialists at Brigham and Women’s.

Before the end of the morning program, several were honored as part of the annual award presentations:

Resident Awards

• Resident Teaching Award
  • PGY-1: Julia Wang, MD
  • PGY-2: Leslie Tseng, MD
  • PGY-3: Aliah Fonteh, MD
  • PGY-4: Akailah Mason-Otey, MD
• Excellence in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery – Christina Lepore, MD
• Resident Research Award – Abdelrahman AlAshqar, MD
• Peter Grannum Award – Abdelrahman AlAshqar, MD
• Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Residency Program Award – Katarina Braun, MD, PhD
• ASCCP 2026 Resident Award – Meghana Kudrimoti, MD
• Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2026 Outstanding Resident in Gyn-Onc – John Biebighauser, MD
• Joel Silidker Award – Ashley Goreshnik, MD
• The Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeons Award – Finn Rivers, MD
• The Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility 2026 SREI Resident Award for Excellence in REI – Alexa Dzienny, MD
• Resident Quality and Safety Award – Tamutenda Chidawanyika, MD, and Khadija Alshowaikh, MD
• The Ryan Program Resident Award for Excellence in Family Planning – Katarina Braun, MD, PhD
• American Association of Gyn Laparoscopists Award Recognition of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology – Caroline King, MD
• Society for Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology (SASGOG) 2026 Resident Award – John Biebighauser, MD
• The John Meehan Clifford R. Miller Award – Benjamin Pifer, MD
• The Irving Friedman Memorial Award – Katarina Braun, MD, PhD
• Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Outstanding Resident Award – Aliah Fonteh, MD
• 2nd Year Teaching Award – Krystal Stennett
• Society of Ob/Gyn Hospitals Outstanding Resident of the Year Award – Kherah Rawlins, MD

Faculty Awards

• The APGO Excellence in Teaching Award – Angela Qu, DO
• The Society for Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Award – Whitney Soble, MD, MPH
• The Lee Buxton Award – Leonard Zamore, MD, and Ruth Ann Ornstein, LMSW
• The Gynecology Surgical Teaching Award – Valentin Kolev, MD
• Debbie Cibelli Award – Michele Moylan, CNM
• The Nathan Kase Award – Lena Sweeney, MD
• The Joel Silidker Award – Brittany Walker, RN
• The Harold Behrman Award – Kieran O’Donnell, PhD
• The Patricia Johnson Award – Catherine Tom-Revzon, PharmD
• The Stanley Lavietes Award – Michael Reel, MD, MBA
• The CREOG National Faculty Award – Valentin Kolev, MD
• 2025 APGO Humanism in Teaching Award – Ozan Bahtiyar, MD
• José Asis Memorial Award – Austin Oberlin, MD

To end the day and further celebrate the accomplishments of Yale Ob/Gyn's academic year, the department hosted a special dinner to recognize all graduating residents and fellows.