Education in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program
Education Table of Contents:
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Introduction to the Residency
By nature of its fundamental goals, residency is difficult. As you begin your transformation into an obstetrician and gynecologist, you have only the broadest general knowledge of medicine. In four years, you will become a specialist in women’s health care with skills in the diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical areas to work independently with all the accompanying concerns of the specialty. The hours are demanding; the needs of the patients and of the system are never-ending. Therefore, strive for balance. Continuity of patient care and the need to learn to work effectively under stress need to be weighed against the simple need for rest. You will make better decisions and perform more effectively if you are physically and mentally more alert.
The academic year is divided into six blocks, each of eight weeks’ duration. In most cases, you will be assigned to a team of residents, in which each member has a level of responsibility commensurate with his or her years of experience. You are NEVER alone. There will always be someone at a higher level who can help you if you ask. As a PGY I, you will be expected to ask, and your work will be supervised closely. As you progress in your residency, greater independence will be allowed. By your chief year, you will be responsible for your entire team and for all the patient care decisions made by that team. However, there will always be a faculty member to back you up.
With few exceptions, the schedule is set at the beginning of the year by choosing a track in your PGY level. The tracks for PGY 1’s will be assigned; all others will be decided in individual class conferences in the spring of each year. The tracks are designed so that team members in each block vary—it’s important for junior residents to be exposed to the senior residents’ different styles as you find your own way to practice medicine. Pay careful attention to the track you choose, because vacations are limited to specific rotations (see vacation policy).
The residency schedule reflects the many conflicting roles encountered as we practice medicine at the onset of the 21st century. But, as always, education and patient care are the two themes most consistently found in the schedule, and they are the most critical. We want to also acknowledge that none of us practice medicine in a vacuum, and that life should exist outside the hospital. The everpresent need to pursue enriching lives that incorporate fulfilling our patient care responsibilities will not always be easy. It will, however, be personally and professionally rewarding.
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