Obstetrics &
Gynecology

Obstetrics/Gynecology is a diversified specialty concerned with the delivery of medical and surgical care to women. Relationships with patients are long-term and are often maintained through the postmenopausal stage of a patient's life. This field combines two specialties: obstetrics, which focuses on the care of women before, during and after childbirth, and gynecology, which involves the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the female reproductive system. Obstetrician/Gynecologists often serve as consultants to other physicians, but in many cases the obstetrician/gynecologist is a primary care physician with whom patients have regular contact and obtain medical advice and counseling.

Training Requirements for Obstetrics/Gynecology

Training consists of a minimum of four years of ACGME-accredited clinically oriented graduate medical education of which three years must be focused in reproductive health care and ambulatory primary health care for women including health maintenance, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, consultation and referral. There are 254 obstetrics/gynecology residency programs accredited by the ACGME for 2005/2006 offering over 1,100 categorical residency training positions available to U.S. seniors.

Matching Program Information and Match Statistics for Obstetrics/Gynecology

Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training programs participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Match results through the NRMP and competitiveness information for obstetrics and gynecology residency training positions are summarized on the right.

Subspecialty/Fellowship Training in Obstetrics/Gynecology

Subspecialty/fellowship training following completion of an obstetrics and gynecology residency training program is available in reproductive endocrinology, gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology, and family planning. Detailed information about the scope of this subspecialty training program, number of positions offered and length of training is available in the GMED (FREIDA).

Career Information

FREIDA physcian workforce information for each specialty includes statistical information on the number of positions/programs for residency training, resident workhours, resident work environment and compensation, employment status upon completion of program and work environment for those entering practice in each specialty.

Access FREIDA
For summary statistics and physician workforce information, click on "Specialty Statistics."