College Appoints Inaugural Chair of Urology

Jennifer T. Anger, MD, MPH — a board-certified urologist and female pelvic medicine and trauma/reconstruction expert — has joined the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and Banner – University Medical Group as a professor with tenure and the inaugural chair of the Department of Urology.

"Dr. Anger has dedicated her career to improving the quality of surgical care for patients with pelvic floor disorders," said Dean Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA. "We are immensely proud to have her join the college, helping to propel the our mission to drive research discovery and build healthier communities in Arizona."

"Dr. Anger's appointment as our inaugural chair represents a pivotal investment in the future of urology care at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. Her expertise in addressing health care disparities and her proven ability to build world-class training programs will elevate our department to new heights," said Dan Post, chief executive officer of Banner – University Medical Division Phoenix. "Most importantly, her patient-centered approach and commitment to innovation will directly benefit the communities we serve, ensuring that cutting-edge urologic care is accessible to all Arizonans who need it."

Previously, Dr. Anger served as a professor of Urology and vice chair of Research in the University of California, San Diego Department of Urology. She was also as an assistant professor of Urology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she gained expertise in robotic-assisted pelvic floor reconstruction. She then joined the faculty at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to build a new residency program in urology. In 2018, she founded and directed the ACGME-accredited Cedars-Sinai Fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

She has received extensive independent funding (more than $27 Million) in several clinical areas for her research. This includes support from the National Institutes of Health — for a career development award — the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Urology Care Foundation. With more than 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts, her current research focuses on reducing disparities in care, as well as improving medical and surgical outcomes for adults and adolescents.

Dr. Anger has largely focused on improving quality of care and access to care for underserved populations, including aging women with pelvic floor disorders. And She has sought to reduce language-related barriers to care for underserved Latinas. She has mentored numerous trainees, including faculty, fellows, residents, medical students and high school students. Many of her mentees come from underrepresented backgrounds and have pursued academic careers in urology and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, and genitourinary reconstruction.

A dual fellowship-trained reconstructive urologist, Dr. Anger completed her first fellowship in urologic reconstruction with George Webster, MD, at Duke University Medical Center. This was followed by a second fellowship in urological health services research, in which she completed a master's degree in public health at UCLA under the mentorship of Mark Litwin, MD. She completed residency training in urology and surgery at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. And she earned her medical degree from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Anger is a member of the American Urological Association, the Society for Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction, and the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons.

She assumed her new role on May 26.