Program: 

Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery

Start Year: 

2026

Why did you choose Duke for your fellowship training?

Duke offers clinical volume that provides broad exposure across the field, and faculty whose experience and mentorship will help me graduate as a confident surgeon capable of managing complex cases across multiple modalities. The research infrastructure was equally compelling - strong institutional support paired with faculty actively engaged in work that's shaping the field.

What excites you about the fellowship program at Duke Obstetrics & Gynecology?

 I'm most excited about the opportunity to train under highly experienced faculty who will push me to build robust, versatile surgical skills. The chance to pair that clinical training with meaningful research while continuing to care for a community I call home is what sets Duke apart for me.

What are your career goals?

I plan to practice in an academic setting, combining clinical and research work with a focus on expanding awareness of pelvic floor disorders and improving access to care for all patients.

What are your hobbies?

Live music, new restaurants, and trying to keep up with my two tiny humans

Education & Training

Undergraduate school & graduation year:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate school & graduation year:
Emory University, 2016

Medical school & graduation year:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022

Residency & graduation year:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2026

Awards and Honors

Graduate Medical Education Research Grant, UNC Hospitals, 2026

Award of Excellence in FPMRS, AUGS, 2025

Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, 2025

Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Resident Teaching Award, 2023

UNC Family Medicine Research Innovations Award, 2019

UNC School of Medicine Merit Scholarship, 2018

 

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Leone AM, Kunycky C, Tholemeier L, Munoz R, Ahlschlager L, Geller EJ. Evaluating Readability and Understandability of Patient-Reported Questionnaires for Bladder Pain Syndrome. International Urogynecology Journal. 2026

Ahlschlager L, Kwon C, Abu-Alnadi ND, Schiff L. Excision of the Obscured Bladder Endometrioma. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2024 Jun 3:S1553-4650(24)00258-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2024.05.029. PMID: 38838818.

Ahlschlager L, McCabe S, Deal AM, Guo A, Gessner KH, Lipman R, Chisolm S, Gore JL, Smith AB. The effect of treatment on work productivity in patients with bladder cancer. Urol Oncol. 2023 Jun;41(6):293.e15-293.e21. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2023.01.020. 

Abu-Salha YM, Ahlschlager L, Milowsky MI, et al. Vigilance is key: Metastatic teratoma in an enlarging retroperitoneal mass after treatment of advanced seminoma – a case report. Journal of Clinical Urology. February 2022. doi:10.1177/20514158221075411

Smith AB, McCabe S, Deal AM, Guo A, Gessner KH, Lipman R, Chisolm S, Ahlschlager L, Gore JL. Quality of Life and Health State Utilities in Bladder Cancer. Bladder Cancer. Jan. 2022: 55 – 70.  doi: 10.3233/BLC-211615

Ahlschlager LM, Mysona D, Beckham AJ. The elusive diagnosis and emergent management of a late-presenting ruptured interstitial pregnancy: a case report. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021 Aug 13;21(1):553. doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-04026-7. 

Siegler AJ, Ahlschlager L, Rosenthal EM, Sullivan PS, Kelley CF, Rosenberg ES, Sanchez TH, Moore RH, Mehta CC, Cecil MP. Utility of a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label indication for condoms for anal sex. Sex Health. 2020 Feb;17(1):91-95. doi: 10.1071/SH18152. 

Siegler AJ, Rosenthal EM, Sullivan PS, Mehta CC, Moore RH, Ahlschlager L, Kelley CF, Rosenberg ES, Cecil MP. Levels of clinical condom failure for anal sex: A randomized cross-over trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2019 Oct 31;17:100199. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.10.012. 

Siegler AJ, Brock JB, Hurt CB, Ahlschlager L, Dominguez K, Kelley CF, Jenness SM, Wilde G, Jameson SB, Bailey-Herring G, Mena LA. An Electronic Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Initiation and Maintenance Home Care System for Nonurban Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2019 Jun 10;8(6):e13982. doi: 10.2196/13982. 

Siegler AJ, Rosenthal EM, Sullivan PS, Ahlschlager L, Kelley CF, Mehta CC, Moore RH, Rosenberg ES, Cecil MP. Double-Blind, Single-Center, Randomized Three-Way Crossover Trial of Fitted, Thin, and Standard Condoms for Vaginal and Anal Sex: C-PLEASURE Study Protocol and Baseline Data. JMIR Res Protoc. 2019 Apr 23;8(4):e12205. doi: 10.2196/12205. 

Siegler AJ, Mayer KH, Liu AY, Patel RR, Ahlschlager LM, Kraft CS, Fish R, Wiatrek SE, Sullivan PS. Developing and Assessing the Feasibility of a Home-based Preexposure Prophylaxis Monitoring and Support Program. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Jan 18;68(3):501-504. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy529. 

Siegler AJ, Bratcher A, Weiss KM, Mouhanna F, Ahlschlager L, Sullivan PS. Location location location: an exploration of disparities in access to publicly listed pre-exposure prophylaxis clinics in the United States. Ann Epidemiol. 2018 Dec;28(12):858-864. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.05.006. Epub 2018 May 26. 

Wall KM, Bayingana R, Ingabire R, Ahlschlager L, Tichacek A, Allen S, Karita E. Rwandan stakeholder perspectives of integrated family planning and HIV services. Int J Health Plann Manage. 2018 Oct;33(4):e1037-e1049. doi: 10.1002/hpm.2586. Epub 2018 Jul 26. 

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Ahlschlager L, Chu C. Rural-Urban Trends in Beta-3 Agonist Prescribing Patterns, 2013-2021. Rapid Fire Oral Presentation, American Urogynecologic Society PFD Week Meeting. 24 October 2024.

Kunycky, CA, et al. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: A Readability and Understandability Analysis. Oral Presentation, American Urogynecologic Society PFD Week Meeting. 24 October 2024. (co-author)

Ahlschlager, L, Impact of a Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Training Grant at a Rural Teaching Health Center. Work-in-Progress Poster Presentation at the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine conference. May 3, 2021. 

 

Research Interests