RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Clerkship grades in obstetrics and gynecology play an increasingly important role in the competitive application process to residency programs. An analysis of clerkship grading practices has not been queried in the past 2 decades in our specialty. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate obstetrics and gynecology clerkship directors' practices and perspectives in grading. STUDY DESIGN: A 12-item electronic survey was developed and distributed to clerkship directors with active memberships in the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics. RESULTS: A total of 174 of 236 clerkship directors responded to the survey (a response rate of 73.7%). Respondents reported various grading systems with the fewest (20/173 [11.6%]) using a 2-tiered or pass or fail system and the most (72/173 [41.6%]) using a 4-tiered system. Nearly one-third of clerkship directors (57/163 [35.0%]) used a National Board of Medical Examiners subject examination score threshold to achieve the highest grade. Approximately 45 of 151 clerkship directors (30.0%) had grading committees. Exactly half of the clerkship directors (87/174 [50.0%]) reported requiring unconscious bias training for faculty who assess students. In addition, some responded that students from groups underrepresented in medicine (50/173 [28.9%]) and introverted students (105/173 [60.7%]) received lower evaluations. Finally, 65 of 173 clerkship directors (37.6%) agreed that grades should be pass or fail. CONCLUSION: Considerable heterogeneity exists in obstetrics and gynecology clerkship directors' practices and perspectives in grading. Strategies to mitigate inequities and improve the reliability of grading include the elimination of a subject examination score threshold to achieve the highest grade and the implementation of both unconscious bias training and grading committees.
Asunto(s)
Prácticas Clínicas , Ginecología , Obstetricia , Estudiantes de Medicina , Humanos , Ginecología/educación , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Evaluación Educacional , Obstetricia/educaciónRESUMEN
Faculty career advisors who guide applicants applying to obstetrics and gynecology residency programs need updated information and resources, given the constant changes and challenges to the residency application process. Initial changes included standardization of the application timeline and interview processes. More recent changes included the utilization of a standardized letter of evaluation, initiation of program signaling, second look visit guidelines, and updated sections in the Electronic Residency Application Service. Challenges in advising include the unmatched applicant and the applicant who is couples matching in the era of program signaling. Additional considerations include applying with the current status of reproductive health law restrictions and preparing for a new residency application platform. The Undergraduate Medical Education Committee of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics provides this updated guide of the prior 2021 resource for advisors to increase confidence in advising students, boost professional fulfillment with advising activities, and aid in satisfaction with advising resources. This guide covers the continuing challenges and future opportunities in the resident application process.
RESUMEN
Clerkship directors must balance the mental wellbeing of their medical students with the demanding schedule that rotations in procedural specialties such as surgery and obstetrics and gynecology require. In this paper, the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology argues the importance of maintaining adequate clinical exposure for learners. Involving students in overnight call provides additional clinical involvement, improved relationships with the clinical team, and a better perspective on specialist lifestyle. Educators should improve the experience for students by promoting resilience and creating a welcoming learning environment. Preparing medical students for the rigorous requirements of these clerkships allows them to thrive in the learning environment while still providing a realistic preview of the clinical experiences and demands of these specialties.
Asunto(s)
Prácticas Clínicas , Educación de Pregrado en Medicina , Estudiantes de Medicina , Humanos , Educación de Pregrado en Medicina/métodos , Estudiantes de Medicina/psicología , Femenino , Obstetricia/educación , Masculino , Cirugía General/educación , Ginecología/educación , Competencia ClínicaRESUMEN
The June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization resulted in state-specific differences in abortion care access across the country. The primary concern in the obstetrics and gynecology education community has been the impact on resident and fellowship training programs. However, the impact on undergraduate medical education and the broad implications for future generations of physicians are crucial to address. It is estimated that 48% of matriculants to MD-granting medical schools will receive their medical education in the 26 states with significant abortion restrictions or bans. Undergraduate medical educators need to continue to adequately teach the basic science, clinical care, and population health outcomes of reproductive medicine, including pregnancy and abortion. In addition, students in states with more restrictions on abortion will have less or no clinical exposure, and those in states with few restrictions may be excluded due to overcrowding of learners from restricted states. Students' own health care also needs to be considered, as access to abortion care for themselves or their partners may create applicant pool demographic shifts by state as applicants consider options for where to pursue their medical education. It is important to ensure that teaching of foundational science of pregnancy, abortion, and reproductive health continues throughout the United States. Undergraduate and graduate medical educators will need to closely monitor the downstream impact of decreased clinical exposure of abortion. Further study of the personal health impact of abortion care access for medical students and awareness of the changing applicant pool demographics by state is needed.
Asunto(s)
Aborto Inducido , Educación de Pregrado en Medicina , Embarazo , Femenino , Estados Unidos , Humanos , Salud Reproductiva , Atención a la Salud , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Given the increasing complexities of the residency application processes, there is an ever-increasing need for faculty to serve in the role of fourth-year medical student career advisors. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate obstetrics and gynecology clerkship directors' confidence and fulfillment with serving in the role of faculty career advisors. STUDY DESIGN: A 25-item electronic survey was developed and distributed to the 225 US obstetrics and gynecology clerkship directors in university-based and community-based medical schools with active memberships in the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Items queried respondents on demographics, confidence in fourth-year advising, satisfaction with this aspect of their career, and resources used for advising. RESULTS: Of 225 clerkship directors, 143 (63.6%) responded to the survey. Nearly all clerkship directors (136/143 [95%]) reported advising fourth-year students. A median of 5.0 hours (interquartile range, 3.0-10.0) was spent per student in this advisory role, with 29 of 141 clerkship directors (20.5%) reporting some form of compensation for advising. Confidence in the ability to advise fourth-year medical students correlated significantly with number of years as a faculty, number of years as a clerkship director, and a higher full-time equivalent allotted as clerkship director. Fulfillment as a faculty career advisor was correlated with number of years as a clerkship director and a higher number of students advised. CONCLUSION: Obstetrics and gynecology clerkship directors regularly serve in the crucial role of faculty career advisor. Confidence in advising fourth-year students, advising fulfillment, and satisfaction with advising resources were all significantly correlated. We recommend that clerkship directors review resources available for advising and that they be provided academic time to serve as career advisors.
RESUMEN
ABSTRACT: Recognition of the spectrum of gender identities has been a recent phenomenon in the medical profession. Over the past 20 years, medical literature related to gender identity diversity has increased several-fold, yet it more commonly addresses clinical care rather than aspects related to medical education. Medical educators continue to struggle with appropriate language and inclusive approaches when discussing gender-based aspects of medical education. Reproductive health education, including obstetrics and gynecology clerkships, is particularly vulnerable to missteps and anachronisms regarding gender identity.This article aims to provide preclinical and clinical medical educators with strategies to identify and predict situations where missteps related to gender identity inclusivity may occur in their curriculum or learning environment, and to develop approaches to improve gender identity inclusivity within medical education. The authors explore 3 areas that commonly pose challenges for medical educators: inclusive language and terminology, anatomy education, and reproductive genetics and genetic counseling. They hope the tools and strategies provided here will be useful to reproductive health medical educators across specialties to enable the realization of a more inclusive learning environment in reproductive health.
Asunto(s)
Educación Médica , Ginecología , Obstetricia , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Identidad de Género , AprendizajeRESUMEN
The labor and delivery floor is a unique learning environment that poses challenges to teaching medical students, with a potentially detrimental effect on their evaluations of the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship. This article, from the "To the Point" series prepared by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, offers specific suggestions for improving undergraduate medical education in obstetrics with attention to student preparation, faculty development, nonphysician staff involvement, and patient education. Optimizing the learning environment in labor and delivery would improve student experiences and perceptions of our specialty.
Asunto(s)
Prácticas Clínicas , Educación de Pregrado en Medicina , Ginecología , Obstetricia , Estudiantes de Medicina , Humanos , Obstetricia/educaciónRESUMEN
This article is from the 'To The Point' series from the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee. The purpose of this review is to provide an understanding of the differing yet complementary nature of interprofessional collaboration and interprofessional education as well as their importance to the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology. We provide a historical perspective of how interprofessional collaboration and interprofessional education have become key aspects of clinical and educational programs, enhancing both patient care and learner development. Opportunities to incorporate interprofessional education within women's health educational programs across organizations are suggested. This is a resource for medical educators, learners, and practicing clinicians from any field of medicine or any health-care profession.
Asunto(s)
Ginecología , Obstetricia , Curriculum , Femenino , Ginecología/educación , Humanos , Educación Interprofesional , Relaciones Interprofesionales , Obstetricia/educación , Embarazo , Salud de la MujerRESUMEN
As hospitals and medical schools confronted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), medical students were essentially restricted from all clinical work in an effort to prioritize their safety and the safety of others. One downstream effect of this decision was that students were designated as nonessential, in contrast to other members of health care teams. As we acclimate to our new clinical environment and medical students return to the frontlines of health care, we advocate for medical students to be reconsidered as physicians-in-training who bring valuable skills to patient care and to maintain their status as valued team members despite surges in COVID-19 or future pandemics. In addition to the contributions students provide to medical teams, they also serve to benefit from the formative experiences of caring for patients during a pandemic rather than being relegated to the sidelines. In this commentary, we discuss factors that led to students' being excluded from this pandemic despite being required at the bedside during prior U.S. public health crises this past century, and we review educational principles that support maintaining students in clinical environments during this and future pandemics.