Courtesy of Dr. Jason A.

Parker
Assistant Professor
Clinical Clerkship Director
UTHSCSA

Clerkship Structure
Most OB/Gyn clerkships are 6-8 weeks in length
You will be exposed to both obstetrics and gynecology
Each clerkship varies on amount of exposure to

subspecialties within OB/Gyn

The breadth of OB/Gyn

Four year residency program
Womens Healthcare Maintenance
Obstetrics
Pelvic organ prolapse
Gynecologic surgery
Gynecologic Oncology
Urinary Incontinence
Infertility
Endocrinology

OB/Gyn Subspecialties
Gynecologic Oncology
Maternal Fetal Medicine
Urogynecology
REI (Reproductive, Endocrine, Infertility)
Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
Family Planning
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Breast Surgery

Orientation
Required for all clerkships
Expectations
Abundant information
Go home and review clerkship material after

orientation
Ask questions at orientation
Start preparing for your next day

What, when, where, and why me?

Labor and delivery
OB Triage
Wards and rounds
OR
Clinic

Labor and Delivery

Communication among students
Meet your patients prior to delivery
Be around and be prepared
Booties, hat, mask, gloves
Be proactive
Grab some of the same things above for your intern
Play well with others
Be sure not one student is getting all the deliveries
Introduce yourself to nursing staff, scrub technicians

OB Triage
The three interviews
Not sure why I put quotation marks there
Patient interviewed by nurse, then student, then
resident
Poach some information off the nurse interview
Focus, focus, focus
Focused HPI based on chief complaint
Focused ROS- no leading the witness
Focused physical exam
Common things are common in OB triage

Wards and Rounds

Strive for continuity of care
See the patients you helped deliver, assisted in operation
Be prepared and if youre not arrive earlier
Your notes guide your oral presentation and vice-versa
Your performance in this area is a reflection of your

residents

Your residents want you to succeed

Always have your residents review your presentation or note

before you go public

Practice
Your oral presentations are like a speech, practice in front of
each other or in front of the mirror

OR
Be prepared
Meet the patient, read about the surgery the night before
Gloves and gown given to scrub technician
Scrub- Ask about the timing of this at your program
Introduce yourself to nurse, scrub technician
Actively participating and anticipating
Its OK to ask questions?
Yes, but the timing of questions and their context is what is
important
Some questions are best asked after the surgery
What if you feel sick in the OR
Say something and ask if you can sit down or scrub out

Clinic
Be prepared
Watch your game film
Ask your resident for their expectations of you
Every resident and attending varies slightly in what they
expect from students in this setting
Oral presentations, note writing, and physical exam

are all important aspects of the ambulatory setting

Develop an assessment on every patient

Do something while you doing nothing

During downtime prepare for upcoming patients

Themes for success

Preparation
My last workday always ends with preparation for my
next workday
Communication
Student-student, student-resident, resident-student
Proactive
The more you do the more you will get to do
Teamwork
You are only as strong as the weakest member of your
team

Themes for success

Feedback
How do you ask for feedback?
Critically apply feedback received
Know your role
Medical hierarchy
Flexibility
First and second year of medical school very structured,
third year much more variable from day to day
Above and beyond

Your Do List
Show up on time show up early, stay late
Good attitude
Ask for expectations
Help residents and students on your team to complete

work
Take ownership for the care of YOUR patients
Read throughout the rotation
Ask questions

Your Do List
Be around
Educate colleagues when opportunities arise
Be respectful of patients and their rights
HIPPA compliant
Be compassionate
Get your moneys worth

Your Dont List

Be lazy
Be late for clinic, rounds, and especially surgery
Appear uninterested
Argue with fellow students or with residents
Text
Substitute reading for patient interaction
Fear being wrong
Complain
Use social media as your venue to vent frustrations

Resources
APGO
ACOG
Fellow students
Former students (some are now residents)

Final Thoughts
OB/Gyn clerkship involves some of the most focused

weeks of your entire 3rd year clerkships

Utilize your resources and apply them to patient care
Be humble when receiving feedback and make
appropriate adjustments to improve patient care
Enjoy the time and privilege you have earned to
provide healthcare to YOUR patients