Jun 20, 2025

Resiliency a common attribute among 2025 ob-gyn graduates

Awards, Department, Fellows, Residents, Trainees

Fellows and residents who were forged by the pandemic reach milestone

Row of seated graduates listening to speech
(Photo by Dhoui Chang)
Graduating residents. Front row: Sepand Alavifard, Nour Bakhache, Shannon Brent, Sarah Freeman, Sara Hojabri, and Simonne Holubeshen. Back row: Angela Li
By Matthew Tierney

Richard Pittini, vice chair of education and a professor in the ob-gyn department, was predicting what lay ahead for the cohort of fellows and residents who celebrated graduation last week at Hart House on a cool June evening.

The way he saw it, the ebbs of and flows of the system — whether through retirements or technological innovation or further specializations in the field — would create a perfect storm of opportunities.

“There hasn't been a cohort that has had so many openings to choose from. It's a burden but it's a pleasure, so good for them,” he said. “They’re in the right place at the right time.”

That certainly wasn’t the case when this group started their residency in the middle of the Covid pandemic’s first wave.

Celebrating graduates. (photo by Dhoui Chang)
Celebrating graduates

During the ceremony, Shannon Brent, speaking on behalf of graduating residents, recalled those early days. She said they met each other during the interview process in January 2020, unaware of what was to come.

“For our cohort, that interview trail was both the beginning and the end of social gatherings for quite some time,” she said. “The world changed. The last months of med school were, well, cancelled. We started residency on Zoom, with our colleagues' faces as grainy thumbnails on screen.”

Woman speaking at podium
(photo by Dhoui Chang)
Shannon Brent

It was months before they were in the same room again, and when they were, they were masked up and working hard.

In her remarks as chair, Kellie Murphy said, “There you were, on the frontlines. Off you went into new hospitals across the city, off to medicine, ICU rotations, contributing in any way you could.”

The residents had emotional, physical and intellectual challenges like no other. It wasn’t easy. Likewise for the graduating fellows, whose subspecialty training takes one to two years. During that time, they lead and educate while working “hundred-hour weeks,” said Howard Berger, professor and co-master of ceremonies with Sari Kives, an associate professor.

“They defy the rules of physics by being two places at one time,” said Berger.

There is so much medicine has taught you.
Modupe Tunde-Byass

Before the recipients of the year’s awards were announced, the keynote speaker Modupe Tunde-Byass, an associate professor in the department, appointed all graduates as an MRP, “most responsible physician.” She offered some thoughts to build resiliency, create joy at work and avoid burnout.

Her advice was hard-won as an immigrant to Canada, U of T alumna, Black maternal health advocate, community practitioner, wife and mother, among others.

“You want to stay connected to family, friends for support. Cherish them often,” Tunde-Byass began, adding: “Get involved. Move from the bedside to the boardroom. Look beyond professional work. Embrace challenges, conquer failure, begin to build a legacy and give back to society.

“There is so much medicine has taught you.”

For the 2025 ob-gyn graduating residents and fellows, resiliency is high on that list.

Graduating PGY5 Residents

Sepand Alavifard
Nour Bakhache
Shannon Brent
Sarah Freeman
Sara Hojabri

Simonne Holubeshen
Dalia Karol
Angela Li
Corey Sermer
Monica Williamson

Residents on stage with linked arms (photo by Dhoui Chang)
Graduating PGY5 residents. Left to right: Corey Sermer, Sarah Freeman, Shannon Brent, Monica Williamson, Sara Hojabri, Simonne Holubeshen, Nour Bakhache, Sepand Alavifard, Angela Li and Dalia Karol

Graduating fellows 

dir. = program director

Advanced Gynecologic Cancer Care (dir. Lauren Philp)
Fatemah Honarpisheh

Advanced High-Risk Obstetrics (dir. Howard Berger)
Sergio Carmona & Priyadarshini Tripathy

Advanced Gynaecologic Surgery and Health Quality Improvement (dir. Abheha Satkunaratnam and Alice Pham)
Jessica Blom

Advanced Gynecologic Surgery (dir. Ally Murji and Jonathon Solnik)
Lacey Brennan

Advanced Endoscopic and Pelvic Floor Surgery (dir. Allan Kanee)
Nupur Dogra

Complex Obstetric Surgery (dir. Sebastian Hobson)
Alix Murphy

Fetal Therapy (dir. Greg Ryan)
Yada Kunpalin

Global Women's Health & Equity (dir. Rachel Spitzer)
Etoroabasi Ekpe

Gynaecologic Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility (dir. Claire Jones)
Nickan Motamedi, Trish Dinh & Akanksha Kulshreshtha

Gynaecologic Oncology (dir. Stephane Laframboise)
Karlijn Cornel

High Risk Obstetrics (SHSC and NYGH) (dir. Noor Ladhani and Elad Mei-Dan)
Anat Pardo & Shanny Sade

High Risk Obstetrics (SHSC) (dir. by Noor Ladhani)
Evelyn Zielinski

Maternal-Fetal Medicine (dir. by Marie Czikk)
Maryam Alshatti, Maisah Binsadiqalbakri, Vesna Sokol Karadjole, Laurence Carmant & Charles Litwin

Mature Women's Health & Menopause (dir. Wendy Wolfman)
Taylor Roebothm & Elizabeta Shprits

Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (SMH) (dir. Deborah Robertson)
Erica Pascoal

Paediatric Adolescent Gynecology (dir. Sari Kives)
Alana Francis 

Perinatal (dir. Marie Czikk)
Juliana Gomes Poli & Mais Abu Nofal

Pregnancy Obesity Medicine and Surgery (dir. Cynthia Maxwell and Kristin Harris)
Caroline Le Jour

THP Community-Based Gynaecology Oncology (dir. Tomer Feigenberg)
Miri Ratner

Urogynecology and Reproductive Pelvic Surgery (dir. Danny Lovatsis)
Laura McLeod & Magdalene Payne

Vulvovaginal Health (dir. Amanda Selk)
Samantha Shiplo & Michal Sheinis

Award winners

Outstanding Resident Educator Award
Marina Vainder

Neelam Sierra Resident Advocacy Award
Julia Kfouri

AAGL Recognition for Excellence in MIG Award
Rosa Lakabi

Division of Gynecologic Oncology Resident Award
Sepand Alavifard

Division of Urogynaecology Resident Award
Alex Pittini

Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI)
Alex Pittini

NASPAG Outstanding Resident Award
Orli Silverberg

SMFM Resident Award for Excellence in Obstetrics
Lindsay Reddeman

Dr. Paul Bernstein PGY3 Resident Achievement Award
Mary Boulos

Dr. Frederick R. Papsin Award
Sara Hojabri

Junior Program Director Award
Dalia Karol

Excellence in clerkship teaching (PGY1)
Hillarie Drever

Excellence in clerkship teaching (PGY2)
Xinran Liu

Excellence in clerkship teaching (PGY3)
Gurjot Gill

Excellence in clerkship teaching (PGY4)
Paul Naseef & Caroline Leps

Excellence in clerkship teaching (PGY5)
Simonne Holubeshen

Social Responsibility Award in Global Women’s Health and Vulnerable Populations – Resident award
Tommy Hana

Social Responsibility Award in Global Women’s Health and Vulnerable Populations – Faculty award
Yolanda Kirkham