Our academic year kicks off with the Summer Boot Camp series, which provides hands-on training in both basic and advanced skills, including knot tying, suturing, vaginal delivery, C-sections, laparoscopy, annual exams, and sonography. Boot Camp offers a low-stakes environment where junior residents can refine their technical skills, while senior residents hone their teaching and mentoring abilities.
The backbone of our didactic curriculum begins in the fall with our weekly Academic Mornings every Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The morning starts with a preoperative review, where residents prepare to defend their surgical cases and analyze clinical decision-making processes. This is followed by a Grand Rounds presentation, featuring breakthrough topics delivered by prominent national speakers. Next is our Resident Lecture Series by core faculty members, which covers the breadth and depth of obstetrics, gynecology, primary care, and subspecialties. The third hour is dedicated to a weekly Case Review and Stats Review, alternating between GYN and OB. During these reviews, residents present educational cases (or an oral-board style collection of monthly cases) for discussion with faculty. This exercise not only enhances residents’ knowledge but also prepares them for the ABOG certifying exams.
The final hour is led by our Chiefs, who take on the role of educators by creating an educational curriculum for junior residents. This typically includes preparation for the CREOG in-service examination during the first half of the year, followed by PROLOG and chapter reviews in the second half.
The goal of our research program is to equip residents with a deep understanding of the scientific method through a mentored research experience. We aim to train our residents not only to read but also to write scholarly papers. To support this, we hold a monthly Research Forum with faculty mentors, a statistician, and an epidemiologist. During each forum, we deconstruct and analyze a contemporary article, and residents are required to provide updates on the status of their research projects.
Each project, from conception through design, analysis, and completion, is a collaborative effort that emphasizes a team-based approach to research. By the end of their intern year, residents should have an IRB-approved protocol. By the end of their third year, the analysis should be complete, culminating in the presentation of their finished projects.
| 2024- 2021 CURRICULUM |
|
| PGY 1 |
|
| Ambulatory Care/ Continuity of Care Clinic (COC) |
4 weeks |
| Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Generalist Services MFM/ Antepartum |
2 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service Night Float (NF) |
8 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service |
18 weeks |
| Gynecology |
16 weeks |
| Vacation |
4 weeks |
| |
52 WEEKS |
| |
|
| PGY 2 |
|
| Ambulatory Care/ Continuity of Care Clinic (COC) |
4 weeks |
| Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Generalist Services MFM/ Antepartum |
4 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service Night Float (NF) |
8 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service |
14 weeks |
| Gynecology |
10 weeks |
| Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) |
4 weeks |
| SICU |
4 weeks |
| Vacation |
4 weeks |
| |
52 WEEKS |
| |
|
| PGY 3 |
|
| Ambulatory Care/ Continuity of Care Clinic (COC) |
4 weeks |
| Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Generalist Services MFM/ Antepartum |
4 weeks |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) GYN- Oncology Service |
8 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service Night Float (NF) |
8 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service |
8 weeks |
| Gynecology |
12 weeks |
| Elective |
4 weeks |
| Vacation |
4 weeks |
|
52 WEEKS |
|
|
| PGY 4 |
|
| Ambulatory Care/ Continuity of Care Clinic (COC) |
4 weeks |
| Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Generalist Services MFM/ Antepartum |
4 weeks |
| Board Reviews |
2 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service Night Float (NF) |
8 weeks |
| Obstetrical Service |
12 weeks |
| Gynecology |
18 weeks |
| Vacation |
4 Weeks |
|
52 WEEKS |
Clinical Training
First-year residents are primarily responsible for labor and delivery coverage, as well as postpartum management. This includes evaluating and managing laboring patients, and participating in both operative and vaginal deliveries alongside attending physicians and midwives. The intern also scrubs in on major cases in the main operating room with an attending and senior resident, and serves as the primary surgeon in ambulatory surgery cases such as hysteroscopy, dilation and curettage, and laparoscopic tubal ligations.
In the
second year, residents expand their experience in labor and delivery management, progressing to more complex cesarean sections and operative vaginal deliveries. On the “high-risk” service, they work directly with the Maternal-Fetal Medicine division to manage complicated pregnancies. The SICU rotation provides additional training in managing multidisciplinary care for complex postoperative patients. The REI rotation takes place at Global Fertility and Genetics as well as in the ambulatory continuity clinic.
During the
third year, training in Gynecologic Oncology is emphasized with a structured two-month rotation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Residents also collaborate closely with our consulting Gynecologic Oncologist, who holds a bimonthly clinic and provides surgical backup. Additionally, third-year residents have the opportunity to apply for an elective rotation, further enhancing their training in a selected field or subspecialty.
In the
Chief year, residents take charge of their individual services and assume teaching responsibilities for junior residents and medical students. Chiefs refine their skills to prepare for future roles as attending physicians and leaders in the field. The Administrative Chief, Educational Chief, and Outpatient Clinic Chief each play active roles in organizing resident meetings, advocating for residents, liaising with senior staff, and orienting new residents.
Sub-specialty Training
Maternal-Fetal-Medicine: Residents receive comprehensive education and training in both hospital and outpatient settings, caring for a diverse patient population with a wide range of pathologies and social disadvantages. They manage patients in the high-volume High-Risk Clinic and receive ultrasound training, including Doppler studies. Continuous education is provided on Labor and Delivery, as well as during daily AM rounds.
Gynecologic Oncology: Our residents complete a two-month dedicated oncology rotation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, offering them a comprehensive experience from pre-operative work-ups to managing complications related to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. During this rotation, residents assist with robotic and advanced laparoscopic surgeries. This collaboration with a leading cancer institution ensures robust training for future practice. Additionally, residents work closely with a consulting oncologist in the continuity clinic, becoming intimately involved in patient care, with many patients who recognize residents as their primary providers.
Gynecology/Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS): Our department features MIGS specialists, including the program director, who guide residents through the learning of minimally invasive surgery skills. Training begins with basic hysteroscopy and advances to techniques such as loop resection, myomectomy, operative laparoscopy (cystectomy, myomectomy, hysterectomy), and vaginal hysterectomy. Simulation plays a significant role in MIGS training, incorporating a laparoscopic skills learning and assessment program adapted from the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery curriculum and AAGL skills development.
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI): Residents participate in a four-week rotation with a consultant REI specialist and are exposed to patients with infertility and hormonal disorders in the continuity clinic. In addition, the REI didactic lecture series further broadens their learning experience.
Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS): A lecture series covering key urogynecology topics is conducted throughout the year. Residents from all levels assist in urogynecological surgeries and office procedures, with one-on-one teaching opportunities provided by our urogynecology subspecialist. During the GYN and Ambulatory rotations, residents can also participate in urodynamic sessions in urogynecology clinics.
Family Planning: Our program offers an in-house family planning service, providing care for women with complex contraceptive needs. Recognizing the high demand for this service in the community and the passion among many trainees, we have developed a robust didactic and simulation curriculum focused on reproductive justice, family planning, and contraception.
Simulation
Our program features a robust simulation curriculum, beginning with the Summer Boot Camp sessions mentioned earlier.
We conduct multidisciplinary OB simulations bimonthly in the Labor Room, including drills for Code C/S (emergent cesarean section), maternal cardiac arrest, and Code H (hemorrhage).
Additionally, individual drills train providers in managing shoulder dystocia, performing operative vaginal deliveries, 4th-degree perineal repairs, and circumcisions.
Our GYN simulation curriculum encompasses Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Skills training along with a structured curriculum for both laparoscopic and hysteroscopic techniques. This program includes dedicated labs supervised by faculty, as well as individual laparoscopic sessions during the Gynecology rotation. We also incorporate simulations for vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy as part of our GYN training.
