Comprehensive Guide to the OB/GYN Clerkship

The OB/GYN clerkship is a hybrid core rotation, which means it provides an excellent learning experience for both students interested in pursuing the specialty as well as those who are not. Clinical clerkships, also referred to as clinical rotations, give medical students the chance to practice medicine while being supervised by a practicing or otherwise established doctor. Clerkships provide students with first-hand knowledge of what the various medical specialties are really like. This way, students can better determine the field of medicine they feel most passionate about and want to practice in their future career as a physician.

Most US medical schools require the following rotations:

• Family Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Neurology
• OB/GYN
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry
• Surgery

Understanding the OB/GYN Specialty

OB/GYN consists of two components: obstetrics and gynecology. Obstetrics is the medical and surgical management of pregnancy, whereas gynecology is the medical and surgical management of the female reproductive tract. OB/GYN is the specialty concerned with the female reproductive tract, as well as the delivery of babies.

Regarding the rotation structure, it will have an obstetrics component and a gynecology component. Obstetrics will consist of deliveries, assisting in the operating room for C-sections, and working in the outpatient clinic. Gynecology will require you to mostly work in the clinic and the OR. Common surgeries will be hysterectomies (both open and laparoscopic) or biopsies.

When to Place the OB/GYN Rotation

The best time to place this rotation is after your surgery rotation. OB/GYN is a hybrid rotation, requiring a solid framework of both knowledge and technical skills, as well as the ability to suture. Alternatively, if you want to pursue surgery as a specialty, you might choose to place OB/GYN before surgery, allowing you to come in with a stronger OR foundation.

Another factor to consider is whether or not you want to pursue it as a specialty. If you are interested in pursuing OB/GYN as a specialty, it’s best to place it second or third out of the total of four quarters of the year. This way, you will have acquired a foundation of experience from your surgery clerkship and perhaps your internal medicine clerkship before entering the rotation you feel the most enthusiastic and passionate about. Placing it first, when you’re just getting used to your third year clerkships, means you’re less likely to impress your seniors and attendings. By not placing it last, you’re better able to collect the number of references you need to apply to away rotations and residency programs.

Clinical Success and the Shelf Exam

To impress your attendings, study up on the most common pathologies before the outpatient clinic. Such topics include common screening guidelines during pregnancy, such as performing an oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks gestation, criteria and risk factors for pregnancy complications, (for example, a previous C-section is a risk factor for placenta previa), and perinatal period treatments, such as erythromycin for conjunctivitis prophylaxis. You will need surgical skills for both the gynecology and the obstetrics OR. Furthermore, gynecologic consultations will focus on reproductive tract pathology and screening, so keep in mind the USPSTF recommendations.

Core Rotation Components Comparison

Pros and Cons of the Specialty

OB/GYN is one of the most joyous rotations you will encounter. There is no other specialty where a new life is born right in front of your eyes. The pervasive death all healthcare personnel deals with (spontaneous abortions and tumoral conditions) is balanced in OB/GYN with births. However, the rotation can be unpredictable, as births do not follow a straightforward 9-5 schedule.