Obstetrics and Gynecology Curriculum

Residency Organization Curriculum

Throughout the four year training period, the faculty seeks to develop a resident's clinical skills while simultaneously encouraging academic pursuits. Our philosophy is to provide continuity of care and progressive responsibility in a fashion supervised, but not dictated by faculty. Believing that Obstetrics and Gynecology is a continuing learning experience throughout one's professional life, we attempt to instill into physicians the capacity to evaluate new advances and integrate them into clinical practice. We also emphasize the development of life-long learning habits.

Year 1

In the first year, the resident spends five months on Obstetrics at the Regional Medical Center, one month on Gynecology, one month on High Risk Obstetrics, two months on Medicine, two months in Primary Care Outpatient Clinics and one month in the Emergency Department.

Year 2

In the second year, the resident spends four months on obstetrics at the Regional Medical Center. four months of gynecology are split between the Regional Medical Center, Baptist Women’s Hospital, and Methodist University Hospital. One month each is spent on gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology and high risk obstetrics. Last, one month is spent on geriatrics.

Year 3

The third year consists of four months of obstetrics at the Regional Medical Center. Four months of gynecology are split between the Regional Medical Center, Baptist Women’s Hospital, and Methodist University Hospital. The Baptist Women’s Hospital experience provides a significant volume of gynecologic surgery in a one-on-one resident/staff setting, allowing the resident to refine basic surgical procedures while also providing independent learning. Third year residents also spend one month on gynecologic oncology and one month on reproductive endocrinology, receiving more responsibility on the team than in the previous year.

Year 4

In the fourth year, senior residents have a supervisory role, receiving a significant amount of responsibility in patient care and teaching. At the same time, the fourth year is an opportunity to maximize learning through these roles. Four and one-half months are spent on obstetrics. Four and one-half months on gynecology are split between individual rotations at the Regional Medical Center, Baptist Hospital, and Methodist Hospital. One and one-half months are spent as the senior resident on both the gynecologic oncology rotation and on the urogynecology rotation.

Rotation Organization

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Continuity of Care Clinics

Following requirements from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the Department maintains Continuity of Care Clinics in which each resident, starting with the first year of the program, establishes his/her own "practice." It is anticipated that this cadre of both pregnant and non-pregnant patients will develop a primary care relationship with that particular resident during the four year residency.

Continuing Education and Conferences:

Many aspects of obstetrics and gynecology require additional didactic work before they can be integrated into the resident's fund of working knowledge. Resident Didactic Lecture Series: This weekly didactic conference is coordinated by the Program Director. The curriculum is based on the Educational Objectives published by CREOG (Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology). Grand Rounds: Grand Rounds Lectures are held quarterly. The Associate Residency Director coordinates the programs and invites speakers that are known experts in the field of obstetrics and gynecology and in other fields of medicine, local speakers as well as our own knowledgeable faculty. Clinical Case Conference and Mortality and Morbidity Conference: This weekly conference is organized by the Program Director. On the third Thursday, residents present two interesting cases for discussion. On the first and third Thursday, the chief resident on service discusses selected cases from weekly statistics. Members of other departments such as Pathology, Neonatology, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Radiology participate as well. Patient care issues, legal and malpractice trends, psychosexual counseling, evidence-based medicine and departmental quality assurance issues are discussed at this conference. Faculty and residents are required to attend. Journal Club: This monthly conference is held each month at the home of a faculty member or an off campus location. The residents and faculty gather for a discussion of recent literature and learn to critically evaluate scientific papers.

Each resident becomes a Junior Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) with dues paid by the department. Junior Fellows receive the journals Obstetrics and Gynecology and Primary Care Update/or OB/GYNs, as a benefit of membership in ACOG. Residents also receive the standard Obstetrics and Gynecology textbooks at the onset of training.