Ob/Gyn Residency Curriculum

Obstetrics

Rotations in Obstetrics take place during all four years of residency. The Obstetrics team consists of three ob/gyn residents and one PGY-1 Family Medicine resident. Teaching rounds are conducted daily. One faculty member serves as the “attending of the day” and there is an MFM “attending of the week” to assist the residents in managing the high-risk obstetrics service. We have over 1800-2000 deliveries per year, with an excellent mix of low-risk and complicated patients. Our high-risk patients are followed in five busy high-risk obstetrics clinics each week. We receive approximately 200 maternal transfers per year from a large region, further augmenting the experience in high-risk obstetrics. Our L&D unit features 10 LDRP’s with central fetal monitoring, 2 recently renovated operating rooms, a recovery room, and additional antepartum and post-partum rooms are located adjacent to L&D. Our nursing, pediatric, and anesthesia services are dedicated and supportive.

Benign Gynecology

Resident education in benign gynecology takes place during all four years. Ambulatory education in gynecology occurs in one’s own continuity clinics, during gynecology blocks, through Colposcopy experiences, and during specific clinics. Graduated responsibility is the norm, with each resident assuming a greater role in patient management as he or she progresses through training. The surgical volume is excellent as is the variety. To augment the experience in benign gynecologic surgery and to allow further independence, each resident spends a portion of the third year at Virginia Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg. The gynecology rotations encompass benign gynecology, REI, and female pelvic medicine and covers both the office practice and surgical aspects of these disciplines.

Gynecologic Oncology

A comprehensive experience in gynecologic oncology has long been one of the strengths of our program. The recent addition of a fellowship in gynecologic oncology has served to enhance education in this area. In fact, while we have had residency graduates go on to fellowships in all subspecialties, the majority who have done so have chosen gynecologic oncology and have matched to top programs. Ambulatory and inpatient care are part of the rotations in gynecologic oncology, which occur years 2-4. All residents who finish our program, regardless of their type of future practice, leave with experience in radical pelvic surgery (open laparoscopic and robotic) and in the management of complicated intraoperative and postoperative patients.

Primary Care

We provide our residents with a sound education in the primary care of women.  The majority of one’s primary care education occurs during continuity clinics. Each resident begins his or her continuity clinic during the first year. These take place in the Primary Care Center located at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Attending physician supervision is present in clinic during all sessions. Ideally, each resident will see a combination of new and established patients, both obstetric and gynecologic, in their panel of patients, and see their patients through problems, surgeries, and pregnancies.

Summary

The educational curriculum involves a combination of clinical, didactic, and simulation based learning, including experience in robotics. This equips the graduates of our program with the necessary foundation to provide safe and excellent care to women.