My teaching philosophy expands upon the “see one, do one, teach one” idea. In the beginning stages of learning, the resident is best served by listening and observing. For example, I will explain a patient’s diagnostic workup or demonstrate a surgical technique. As the resident develops, he or she is expected to be able to answer theoretical questions and also demonstrate surgical skills under direct guidance. In the final stages of his or her formal surgical education, the resident will ask advanced theoretical questions and also be able to perform aspects of an operation independently. This is the stage in which the senior resident is able to teach junior residents and medical students.

My research philosophy is to first focus on an area of personal interest in which there are still unanswered questions. Then, a research question that can reasonably be expected to be answered in light of one’s resources should be developed. This is followed by a thorough literature review, development of the methodology, discussion of the project with mentors, and recruitment of a team that will assist in completing the project.

Irina Malajovich, PhD, joined MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper in 2019 after completing a certificate program and a physics residency at the University of Pennsylvania. Before becoming a medical physicist, Irina was a principal investigator at DuPont doing research on printable flexible transistor arrays and solar cells. Irina received her PhD in condensed matter physics from UC Santa Barbara, where she used lasers to reveal how electron spins move within semiconductor structures. Irina's current focus includes commissioning of an MR Linac and resident education.

Dr. Mama is Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Division Head of both Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and Minimally Invasive Gynecology and Robotics at Cooper University Health Care. Dr. Mama also serves as the OB-GYN Director of Undergraduate Medical Education at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and is Head of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecology & Robotics at Cooper University Hospital. A graduate of Yale University with a Master of Public Health degree, Dr. Mama completed his medical degree at Thomas Jefferson University and his OB-GYN residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. For nine years, Dr. Mama was the Director of Adolescent Gynecology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He holds a focused practice designation certificate in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. He has been the recipient of numerous teaching and humanism awards, including the APGO Excellence in Teaching Award, 2020 Sol Sherry Award for Teaching Excellence, Gold Humanism Society Leonard Tow Humanism Award, the Diane Barton Caring Award, and induction into the AOA Honor Society. An elected member of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, Dr. Mama is active in multiple national committees at APGO, SGS, and NASPAG and continues to speak and conduct invited workshops nationally. Dr. Mama has fourteen years of experience in multiple yearly medical missions volunteering abroad in Africa and Asia as a teaching attending and surgeon focused on repair of fistula and complex gynecologic surgery