Simone Thavaseelan, MD is an Associate Professor of Surgery (Urology) at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University where she has been faculty since 2011. She is a graduate of Georgetown University SOM in 2005, urology residency in 2010 followed by fellowship in Endourology/ Minimally Invasive Urology in 2011 both at Brown University. She is the Section Chief of Urology at the Providence VA Medical Center as a half-time VA employee with a concurrent halftime position at Brown Urology Inc (BUI) as the Program Director of the residency since 2016 and subspecializes in Endourology. She focuses her scholarship on graduate medical education and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves on the Graduate Medical Education Committee at Brown/Rhode Island Hospital, the Board of Directors of BUI, the Advisory Board of Office of Women in Medicine & Science, as the Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the Department of Surgery, and the Board of Directors of the Society of Women in Urology. She has recently completed service as on the Board of the Society of Academic Urology as well as Vice Chair of the American Urological Association (AUA) Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in 2021 and serves as a member of the AUA D&I Committee. She has participated on committees in the New England AUA, the AUA, and specialty societies.
| Velez, Danielle, Mehta, Akanksha, Rotker, Katherine, Thavaseelan, Simone. "Gender disparities in industry payments to urologists." Urology, 2020. |
| Velez D, Ashok A, Greenberg R, Wasserman M, Balen A, Fantasia J, Avellino G, Cancian M, Aguiar L, Thavaseelan S. "Rising Tides: Challenges and Opportunities for Women in the Urologic Workforce." Urology, 2020. |
| Rotker K, Thavaseelan S, Sigman M. "Addressing patient gender bias toward trainees in the field of andrology." Fertility and Sterility, vol. 112, no. 4, 2019, pp. 640-641. |
| Balen, Alejandra, Fantasia, Jennifer, Thavaseelan, Simone. "Contemporary Assessment of Match Violations within Urology: an Opportunity for Ethical Leadership." Current Urology Reports, vol. 20, no. 10, 2019. |
| Shantharam, Govind, Tran, Timothy Y., McGee, Heather, Thavaseelan, Simone. "Examining Trends in Underrepresented Minorities in Urology Residency." Urology, 2019. |
| Bower, Paul E., Pereira, Jorge, Alalao, Osama, Kott, Ohad, Velez, Danielle, Thavaseelan, Simone, Pareek, Gyan. "Indications for stent omission after ureteroscopic lithotripsy defined: A single-institution experience with cost analysis." Arab Journal of Urology, vol. 17, no. 3, 2019, pp. 206-211. |
| Pereira JF, Bower P, Jung E, Parkhomenko E, Tran T, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. "Ureteral stenting practices following routine ureteroscopy: an international survey." World Journal of Urology, vol. 37, no. 11, 2019, pp. 2501-2508. |
| Thavaseelan, Simone. "EDITORIAL COMMENT." Urology, vol. 121, 2018, pp. 49-50. |
| Cancian, Madeline, Aguiar, Liza, Thavaseelan, Simone. "The Representation of Women in Urological Leadership." Urology Practice, vol. 5, no. 3, 2018, pp. 228-232. |
| Rotker K, Iosifescu S, Baird G, Thavaseelan S, Hwang K. "What's Gender Got to Do With It: Difference in the Proportion of Traditionally Female Cases Performed by General Urologists of Each Gender." Urology, vol. 116, 2018, pp. 35-40. |
| Dai J, Harisaran V, Ekish SA, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. "Critical Analysis of a New Generation Electrohydraulic Lithotripter: A Single Institution Experience with the Medispec E3000." Journal of Endourology, vol. 27, no. 7, 2013, pp. 903-907. |
| Elsamra, Sammy E., Leone, Andrew R., Lasser, Michael S., Thavaseelan, Simone, Golijanin, Dragan, Haleblian, George E., Pareek, Gyan. "Hand-assisted laparoscopic versus robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: comparison of short-term outcomes and cost." Journal of Endourology, vol. 27, no. 2, 2013, pp. 182-8. |
| Maddox M, Pareek G, Al Ekish S, Thavaseelan S, Mehta A, Mangray S, Haleblian G. "Histopathologic changes after bipolar resection of the prostate: depth of penetration of bipolar thermal injury." Journal of Endourology, vol. 26, no. 10, 2012, pp. 1367-71. |
| Eisner BH, Thavaseelan S, Sheth S, Haleblian G, Pareek G. "Relationship between serum vitamin D and 24-hour urine calcium in patients with nephrolithiasis." Urology, vol. 80, no. 5, 2012, pp. 1007-10. |
| Patel SR, Thavaseelan S, Handel LN, Wong A, Sigman M. "Bilateral manual externalization of testis with self-castration in patient with prion disease." Urology, vol. 70, no. 3, 2007, pp. 590.e15-6. |
I am an Associate Professor of Surgery/ Urology, and my research is focused on graduate medical education (GME) and diversity equity and inclusion (DEI). I have a broad background and leadership positions in surgical education and diversity with specific training and expertise in advanced kidney stone disease. As the residency program director I have responsibilities to administer all aspects of the education program, compliance with ACGME program requirements and development of the clinical learning environment with faculty and trainees. As a Section Chief of Urology at the Veterans Administration I manage a busy service line delivering general and subspeciality care in a team-based model. As a scholar I have published numerous manuscripts on improving the Urology Match, addressing match violations, developing virtual urology curricula. I have successfully led numerous projects in GME and DEI (e.g., preference signaling in the Urology Match, broadening the promotions standards for Brown Medical school to include DEI, Department of Surgery Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan) and collaborated with other educators and produced several peer-reviewed on these topics. I am a board member for the Society of Women in Urology and Brown Urology Inc and recent member of the Society of Academic Urology.
Enhancing Physician Well-Being in the Clinical Learning Environment through Faculty & Resident Professional Development Coaching. Brown Physicians Incorporated Academic Assessment Grant. Award: $12,500 on October 1st, 2022.
Patel SR, Thavaseelan S, Handel LN, Wong A, and Sigman M. Bilateral manual externalization of testis with self-castration in patient with prion disease. Urology 2007; 70(3):590.e 15-6. PMID: 17905126
Eisner BH, Thavaseelan S, Sheth S, Haleblian G, Pareek G. Relationship Between Serum Vitamin D and 24-Hour Urine Calcium in Patients with Nephrolithiasis. Urology 2012; 80(5):1007-1010. PMID: 22698470
Maddox M, Pareek G, Al Ekish S, Thavaseelan S, Mehta A, Mangray S, Haleblian G. Histopathologic Changes after Bipolar Resection of the Prostate: Depth of Penetration of Bipolar Thermal Injury. J Endourol 2012; 26(10):1367-1371. PMID: 22577984
Elsamra S, Leone AR, Lasser MS, Thavaseelan S, Golijanin D, Haleblian GE, Pareek G. Hand Assisted Laparoscopic versus Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: Comparison of Short-term Outcomes and Cost. J Endourol. 2013; 27(2):182-188. PMID: 22891728
Dai, J, Harisarian V, Ekish SA, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. Critical analysis of a new generation electrohydraulic lithotripter: A single institution experience with the Medispec e3000. J Endourol 2013; 27(7):903-907. PMID: 23461464
Renzulli JF, Maddox MM, Nadeem O, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G, Mega AE. The Impact of Multidisciplinary Care in a Large Volume Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy Program: A Paradoxical Stage Migration toward More Aggressive Disease. Open J Internal Medicine 2014; 4: 108-114.
Cancian M, Aguiar L, Thavaseelan S, The Representation of Women in Urologic Leadership, Urology Practice (2017), doi: 10.1016/j.urpr.2017.03.006.
Rotker K, Isoifescu S, Thavaseelan S, Hwang, K. What gender got to do with it? Differences in the Proportion of Traditionally female cases performed by general Urologists of each gender. Urology 2018, 116:35-40. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2017.12.040. PMID: 29550347.
Bower P, Pereira Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. Indications for Stent Omission after Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy Defined: An Initial analysis. J Endourology 2017 (31) A61. DOI: 10.1089/end.2017.29029.abstracts
Shantharam G, Tran T, McGee H, Thavaseelan S. MP44-18 Examining Trends in Underrepresented Minorities in Urology Residency. The Journal of Urology, Volume 199, Issue 4, e585
Thavaseelan S. Editorial Commentary on: The impact of teaching on fundamental general urologic procedures: do residents help or hurt? Urology 2018; 121:49-50. PMID: 30526909
Shantharam G, Tran T, McGee H, Thavaseelan S. Examining Trends in Underrepresented Minorities in Urology Residency. Urology 2019: 127:36-41. PMID:30742866
Pereira J, Bower P, Jung, E, Parkhomenko E, Tran T, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. Ureteral Stenting Practices Following Routine Ureteroscopy: An International Survey. World Journal of Urology. 2019. doi: 10.1007/s00345-019-02660-7 (ahead of print). PMID: 30747279
Bower P, Pereira J, Al Alao O, Kott O, Velez D, Thavaseelan S, Pareek G. Indications for Stent Omission after Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy Defined: A Single Institution Experience with Cost Analysis. Arab journal of Urology. DOI 10.1080/2090598X.2019.1614243
Balen A, Fantasia J, Thavaseelan S. A Contemporary Assessment of Match violations within Urology: An Opportunity for Ethical Leadership. Current Urology Reports Curr Urol Rep. 2019 Sep 6;20(10):65. doi: 10.1007/s11934-019-0927-z.
Rotker K, Thavaseelan S, Sigman M. Addressing patient gender bias towards trainees in the field of andrology. Fertil Steril. 2019 Oct;11 2(4):640-641. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.08.003.
Velez D, Mehta A, Rotker K, Thavaseelan S. Gender Disparities in Industry Payments to Urologists. Urology. 2021 Apr;150:59-64. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.05.074. Epub 2020 Jun 20. PMID: 32569655.
Velez D, Ashok A, Greenberg R, Wasserman M, Balen A, Fantasia J, Avellino G, Cancian M, Aguiar L, Thavaseelan S. Rising Tides: Challenges and Opportunities for Women in the Urologic Workforce. Urology. 2021 Apr;150:47-53. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.07.014. Epub 2020 Jul 25. PMID: 32721516.
Fantasia JE. Thavaseelan S. Editorial Commentary on Impact of Revised Guidelines for Urology Match: The impact of stricter guidelines on post-interview contact, restricted interview topics and differences by gender in the Urology Match. Urology Practice Journal. 2020 Nov 10.
Fantasia J, Elsamra S, Thavaseelan S. Improving The Match: Use of Preference Signaling to Optimize the Urology Match Interview Process. Urology. 2021 Aug;154:57-61. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.01.042. Epub 2021 Feb 2. PMID: 33545207.
Simons ECG, Thavaseelan S, Saigal C, Downs T. Diversifying Graduate Medical Education & the Urology Workforce: Re-imagining our Structures, Policies, Practices, Norms, & Values. Urology. 2021 Jun 27:S0090-4295(21)00554-9. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.06.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34186139..
Cannon S, Seideman CA, Thavaseelan S, Wilson S, Zaila KE, Delgado J, Simons ECG, Dy GW. Urologists for Equity: A Collective Approach Toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Urology. Urology. 2021 Jul 29:S0090-4295(21)00706-8. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.07.017. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34333037.
Marthi S, Enemchukwu E, Thavaseelan S. Defining the Variance: The Current State of Female and URM Concordance of Urology Resident Workforce to the General U.S. Population. Urology. 2021 Jul 19:S0090-4295(21)00672-5. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.06.039. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34293375..
Mikhail D, Margolin EJ, Sfakianos J, Clifton M, Sorenson M, Thavaseelan S, Haleblian G, Kavoussi L, Badalato GM, Richstone L. Changing the Status Quo: Developing a Virtual Sub-Internship in the Era of COVID-19. J Surg Educ. 2021 Sep-Oct;78(5):1544-1555. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.03.007. Epub 2021 Mar 24. PMID: 33896734; PMCID: PMC8419923.
Moseley I, Greenberg R, Wasserman M, Thavaseelan S, Cancian M. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis leading to penile necrosis and ischemia of the bladder and urethra. Urol Case Rep. 2021 Oct 19;40:101902. doi: 10.1016/j.eucr.2021.101902. PMID: 34745896
Seideman CA. Thavaseelan S. Society of Women in Urology (SWIU) Statement on Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Urology. 2022 Jul 25:S0090-4295(22)00550-7. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2022.07.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35901999.
Thavaseelan S, Burnett AL 2nd, Chang S, Davies B, Dy G, Greene K, Griebling TL, Santiago-Lastra Y, McIntire LL, McNeil B, Simons ECG, Vemulakonda V, Wood H, Downs T. AUA Diversity & Inclusion Task Force: Blueprint and Process for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. J Urol. 2022 Sep;208(3):498-504. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000002813. Epub 2022 Aug 9. PMID: 35942783.
Traxel E, Richstone L, Brown J, Mirza M, Green K, Thavaseelan S. Preference Signaling Pilot in the Urology Match: Outcomes and Perceptions. Urology. 2022 Sep 14:S0090-4295(22)00785-3. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2022.08.034. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36115432.
Adams E, Louters A, Kocsuta V, Ganesh M, Jang A, Ansbro B, Thavaseelan S, Kielb S. An Analysis Exploring Self-Identified Gender Among Urologists Included in Top Doctor Lists. Urology Nov 2022.
Elijah M, Persad-Paisley, Kazal, F, Douglas C, Shamshad A, Nieblas-Bedolla, E, Wasserman, M, Thavaseelan S. Racial and Ethnic Diversity Trends of Applicants and Matriculants to Urology Residency Programs from 2010-2018. Urology Nov 2022.
Passarelli, N, Thavaseelan S, Hyams E. Maximizing Equity and Expertise: Analysis of Gender in Robotic/ Laparoscopic Surgical Volume across Surgical Subspecialities. Accepted to Urology Dev 2022.
Thavaseelan, S. Editorial Comment on Influencing Factors of Preference Signaling in the 2022 Urology Residency Match. Urology Jan 2023.
Thavaseelan S. Raman J, Pearle, M, What Can Urology Learn about Sponsorship from Business and Medicine? Nature Reviews Urology Special Women’s Focus. Feb 2023.
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | MD | Georgetown University |
| 2001 | BS | Georgetown University |
June 2006 Outstanding Surgical Intern of the Year Award 2005-2006, Department of Surgery, Brown University
Sept 2011 Citation from Office of VA General Counsel for Outstanding Medical Opinion
June 2015 The Alan D. Podis Teaching Award 2014-2015, Division of Urology/ Residents
May 2017 Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award for Clinical Faculty, 2017 who exhibit the outstanding instructional characteristics to which educators strive based on student and peer evaluations in the top quartile of teachers
May 2018 Best Poster in Moderated Poster Session Stone Disease: Surgical Therapy: II at Annual AUA Meeting, San Francisco
Aug 2018 Clinical Service Line Award, Surgical Services Line, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 1): Antimicrobial Prophylaxis to reduce post op UTI at Providence VAMC
May 2019 Rhode Island Top Docs 2019
Sept 2019 4 under 40 Award of the Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS)
May 2021 Rhode Island Top Docs (Urology) 2021
Sept 2021 President’s Distinguished Service Award in recognition of ongoing commitment and dedicated service to urology and the SAU throughout the COVID 19 pandemic
May 2022 Rhode Island Top Docs (Urology) 2022
May 2022 Master of Arts ad eundem honorary degree awarded by Brown University to associate professors who hold no other degrees at Brown
May 2022 Society of Academic Urology (SAU) recognition for contributions and dedication as SAU Member-at-large
May 2023 American Urological Association (AUA) Diversity & Inclusion Award for dedication and commitment to promoting meaningful cultural change for the benefit of urology
7/2011 - Present, Attending Staff: Brown Urology Inc (BUI)
9/2010 – Present, Attending Staff: Rhode Island Hospital/ Hasbro, Providence, RI
9/2010 – Present, Attending Staff: The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
7/2011 – Present, Attending Staff: Veterans Administrative Medical Center, Providence, RI
7/2011 – Present, Consulting Surgeon: Women & Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI
7/2011 – 2/1/2018 Courtesy Staff: Memorial Hospital of Pawtucket of RI, Pawtucket, RI (discontinued at time of Hospital Closure)
11/2019 – Present, Attending Staff: Newport Hospital, Newport, RI
2011- Present Section Chief of Urology, Providence VAMC
7/2016- Present Urology Residency Program Director
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| MD | - |
Division Teaching:
Grand Rounds, Shockwave Lithotripsy, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, March 16, 2011
Grand Rounds, An Update on Management of Adult UPJO, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, March 14, 2011
Grand Rounds, American Urological Association Guidelines for Staghorn and Ureteral Calculi, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, February 12, 2014.
Uroradiology Teaching Conference: Renal Cysts Characterization and Management: Section of Urology and Department of Radiology, Providence VA Medical Center, November 20th, 2017.
Grand Rounds, Teaching to Teach, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, April 4th, 2018.
Grand Rounds, Management of Stone Disease during Pregnancy, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, May 22nd, 2019
Grand Rounds, Management of Adult UPJO, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, January 15th, 2020
Journal Club: Structural Racism in Medicine, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, March 2019.
Journal Club: Medical Education, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Virtual. May 2020.
Teaching Rounds: Managing People: Interpersonal Communication Strategies for Success in Challenging Situations, Jan 29th, 2020.
Grand Rounds, Equity as Wellbeing: Race in Medicine, Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, May 26th, 2021.
Resident Teaching Rounds: Responding to Microaggressions in the Clinical Learning Environment June 18th, 2021.
Journal Club: Antiracism and Gender Equity, Division of Urology, Virtual. Sept 8th, 2021.
Panelist: Ureteroscopy: Tips and Tricks, Division of Urology, Virtual. Sept 15th, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Pathology & Evaluation of Stone Disease. Virtual. September 22nd, 2021, and December 1st, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Surgical Management of Stone Disease. Virtual. September 29th, 2021, and December 10th, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Reconstruction: UPJO. Virtual. October 6th, 2021, and January 7th, 2022.
Resident Teaching Rounds: Calculus SASP Inservice preparation. October 8th, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Consults & Emergencies: Intraoperative. Virtual. October 13th, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Work up of the Urology Patient. Virtual. October 20th, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: How to be successful as APP in hospital-based urology. Virtual. November 3rd, 2021.
APP Teaching Rounds: Bedside Workup of Surgical Stone Disease. Miriam Hospital OR. December 29th, 2021.
Resident Teaching Rounds: UPJO. January 21st, 2022.
Resident Teaching Rounds: Building a Successful Surgical Practice as an Educator. April 1st, 2022.
Resident Teaching Rounds: Interpersonal Negotiation. August 19th, 2022.
Resident Teaching Rounds: Managing UP: Optimizing Relationships. February 3rd, 2023.
Facilitator:
Journal Club Conference, Division of Urology, 2011- present, (yearly moderator for article selection and discussion)
Mock Oral Boards Examiner, Division of Urology, 2012 – present, (yearly examiner)
Residency Application Reviewer, Division of Urology, 2013 – present, (yearly reviewer)
AUA In-Service Examination Proctor, 2015 – present, (yearly proctor)
