Program Overview

Introduction to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Program

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology offers an educational experience that entails close interaction with house staff and faculty, and a 'hands-on' approach to learning by doing. A physician specializing in obstetrics or gynecology is often considered a woman's primary care provider. With this in mind, students are encouraged to learn not only obstetrics and gynecology but anything involved in women's health in general.

Program Overview

Obstetrics and gynecology is a fast-paced, diverse field of medicine practiced in a variety of settings, both outpatient and inpatient. As a clerk on our service, you will have the opportunity to see patients who are healthy, seeking prenatal or preventive care, those who are having an acute life-threatening gynecologic problem and everything in between. Our goal is to provide you with a well-rounded, solid experience in general obstetrics and gynecology.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the program are to:

• Provide a curriculum for the department that promotes the highest standards of competence and does so in a professional culture that prepares the student for the practice of the discipline internationally.
• Provide a foundation which integrates the basic science in the understanding of normal and abnormal pregnancy as well as the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment options for diseases of the female reproductive system and to the problems of women's health generally.
• Provide a solid foundation in the discipline of obstetrics and gynecology that will enable the student to decide if the discipline is an appropriate career choice and if so to enable the student to succeed in postgraduate training and a professional career as an obstetrician gynecologist.

Guidelines

The program guidelines include:

1. Length: Six weeks.
2. Site: Labor and delivery suite including ob triage, the operating room, gynecology inpatient units and the ante-partum, post-partum and post-operative units, outpatient clinics, private MD offices and the Emergency Department.
3. Orientation: At the start of the clerkship, an orientation is given. This includes a discussion of the expectations and responsibilities of the students and their schedules and assignments to residency teams and preceptors.
4. Call Schedule: Students take night call no more than every third night, and one weekend call not to exceed 24 hours or one night float schedule, not to exceed residents' hours on call.
5. Rounds and Conferences: Students participate in attending rounds for house staff and students at least once a week and work rounds with house staff at least twice a week.

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the program are categorized into:

Medical Knowledge

1. Evaluate health maintenance and preventive care strategies for women, including age-related cancer screening, screening for common adult-onset illnesses, nutrition, sexual health, vaccination, and risk factor identification and modification.
2. Discuss acute and chronic conditions in women's general and reproductive health including their diagnosis and treatment.
3. Apply principles of physiology and pharmacology applicable to women from puberty through their reproductive life and menopause, especially pregnancy and age-related changes.

Clinical Skills

1. Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, families, and healthcare teams in both verbal and written formats.
2. Explain the role of patient education in disease prevention and treatment.
3. Organize case presentations to accurately reflect the reason for evaluation, history chronology, physical findings, differential diagnosis, and suggested initial evaluation, incorporating age-specific information and precise descriptions of physical findings.

Professional Behavior

1. Demonstrate compassion, empathy and respect toward patients, including respect for the patient's modesty, privacy, confidentiality and cultural beliefs.
2. Communicate with patients in a way that conveys respect, integrity, flexibility, sensitivity and compassion.
3. Demonstrate respect for patient attitudes, behaviors and lifestyle, paying particular attention to cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic influences and values.

Core Topics

The core topics covered in the program include:

• General:
  1. History
  2. Physical exam
  3. Patient write up
  4. Differential Diagnosis and management plan
  5. Preventive care
  6. Professional behavior and communication skills
  7. Domestic violence and sexual assault
• Obstetrics:
  1. Maternal-fetal physiology
  2. Preconception care
  3. Antepartum care
  4. Intrapartum care
  5. Care of Newborn in labor and delivery
  6. Postpartum care
  7. Breastfeeding
• Gynecology:
  1. Ectopic pregnancy
  2. Contraception
  3. Sterilization
  4. Abortion
  5. Sexually transmitted diseases
  6. Endometriosis
  7. Chronic pelvic pain
• Endocrinology and Infertility:
  1. Menarche
  2. Menopause
  3. Amenorrhea
  4. Normal and abnormal uterine bleeding
  5. Infertility
  6. Hirsutism and Virilization

Reading Materials

The required textbooks for the program include:

• Obstetrics/Gynecology for the Medical Student by Beckman, et al
• Williams Obstetrics by Cunningham et al
• Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology by Scott et al
• Clinical Gynecologic Oncology by DiSaia & Creasman
• Gynecology by Ten Teachers and Obstetrics by Ten Teachers by Monga & Baker

Web-Based Educational Assignments

The program requires the successful completion of web-based assignments, including:

• AMBOSS
• UWorld
• Communication Modules
• Ethics Modules

Required Clinical Encounters

The program requires students to enter specific clinical experiences into the Patient Encounter Log (PEL) program, including:

• History
• Physical exam
• Patient write up
• Differential Diagnosis and management plan
• Preventive care
• Professional behavior and communication skills
• Domestic violence and sexual assault