WRNMMC, Bethesda, Md.  –   Army Maj. (Dr.) Kiley Hunkler, Air Force Capt. (Dr.) David Boedeker, and Air Force Capt. Kathryn Edmonds earned the top awards in the 28th Annual Robert C. Park Uniformed Services Residency in Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics Resident Research Day program, held May 5 at Walter Reed.

The Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetric Residency program is part of the National Capital Consortium (NCC), which includes graduate medical education at the Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), as well as other military medical treatment facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“We appreciate all of the people involved in the residency program, including the residents themselves, and the tireless efforts they make in not only striving to be great physicians, but the extra efforts made to pursue and produce quality research that culminates in [Resident Research Day],” stated Air Force Col. (Dr.) Heather Barbier, residency program director.

Boedeker earned recognition as the “Best Case Report” for his project researching “Cephalopagus twins diagnosed at seven weeks gestational age following IVF/ICSI.”

Hunkler received recognition for “Best QI Project” for researching “Strengthening Abortion Training in the U.S. Military: Implementing a Dilation and Evacuation Evidence-based Checklist in Military Resident Education.”

Edmonds’ research “Apical Support after Laparoscopic Hysterectomy” earned recognition as the “Best Original Research.”

Some of the other research projects in the program focused blood loss assessment at the time of cesarean delivery; sexual trauma in pregnancy; vaginitis; identifying the need for placental pathology exams; postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery; female genital mutilation and cutting; and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chlamydia, gonorrhea and pelvic inflammatory disease in a U.S. uniformed service beneficiary population.

The research day event is named after the late Army Col. (Dr.) Robert Park, author of numerous scientific papers and contributor to several textbooks. He had a long and distinguished military career as an OB/GYN as well as a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at USU.