Curriculum

Clinical Rotations

The residency education program is designed to fulfill American Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committee (RRC) requirements of 48 months of obstetrics and gynecology rotations. Resident rotations are scheduled on week basis, however some rotations due to rotation break are slightly longer than 8 weeks. The academic year is based on a 52-week year and residents are on rotations except for allotted vacation or conference time.

First Year

Residents become familiar with the core knowledge of obstetrics and gynecology. They will learn to evaluate gynecologic problems and about the decision-making processing leading to surgical procedures. They will be taught minor gynecological surgical procedures and laparoscopy. The residents will learn management of normal labor and delivery in the labor suite. R1s will assist and/or perform approximately 100 cesarean sections in the first year. They care for full-term patients on L&D and see less complicated OB patients in clinic. Some other procedures they will become proficient in include midline episiotomy repairs, diagnostic laparoscopy/tubal ligations, and IUD insertion in an office-based setting. During this year, residents will select a research advisor and begin developing a research project.

Second Year

Residents learn more complicated surgical procedures. They gain skills and knowledge necessary to care for the complicated obstetrical and gynecologic patient. Some procedures to become proficient in are operative hysteroscopy, OB ultrasound and Gyn ultrasound as well as multiple surgical procedures. R2's care for pre-term patients on L&D and see more complicated OB patients in the clinic. Supervision of the perinatal ICU patients, in-depth experience managing high-risk obstetric patients. By the end of the second year, residents should have an approved research project and be working on data collection.

Third Year

Residents perform more major surgical procedures, including abdominal hysterectomy and bladder suspensions, and assist on vaginal surgery. Supervision of the High-Risk Obstetric Clinic provides in-depth experience in management of high-risk obstetrical patients. Some procedures to become proficient in are abdominal hysterectomy, operative laparoscopy/ovarian cystectomy, and office-based hysteroscopy.

Third year residents are given the opportunity to plan a four week elective rotation of their choosing (i.e. Research, REI, MFM, Urogynecology, Gynecologic Oncology, Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Urology, etc.). If residents would prefer to remain on the REI rotation they may choose to do so. Presentation of a completed research project is required by the end of this year. A formal journal club presentation is also required during this year.

Fourth Year

As a fourth-year resident, one is considered the chief resident for his or her assigned service. Chief residents perform complicated major procedures including abdominal, vaginal and oncology surgery. Specialized procedures such as laser, microsurgery and robotics are also performed. They function as consultants to the junior residents in management of the obstetric and surgical suites. Chiefs will become proficient in vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy, TVT, total laparoscopic hysterectomy and office-based urogynecology as well as many other procedures. The chief resident will arrange administrative details of the program, delegate responsibility to junior residents and be responsible to the attending for all patients on the Ob-Gyn services. In addition, R4s are required to make one Grand Rounds presentation. During this year residents will work on their research papers and submit presentations to local and/or national meetings.

Conferences

Obstetrics Conferences

Gynecology Conferences

Gynecology-Oncology Conferences

WPMC Conferences

Wednesday Didactics – protected education time from 8 a.m.–noon includes:

• Core lecture series
• Morbidity, Mortality & Improvement (MMI)
• Visiting professor series
• Program Director meetings
• Grand Rounds – both outside speakers and Resident Grand Rounds (R4)
• Wellness activities
• Diversity, Inclusion & Social Determinants of Health
• Research meetings
• Hands-on surgical simulations