Obstetrician gynecologists provide patient care during all phases of pregnancy.
Obstetrician gynecologists are physicians who specialize in health care for women. These physicians diagnose and treat general medical conditions, but also specialize in conditions specifically related to women. Obstetrician gynecologists provide care during pregnancy, deliver babies and care for women postpartum. The education for an obstetrician gynecologist can take between 12 and 15 years to complete.
Undergraduate Education
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an undergraduate degree is not required for entry to medical school. Three years of undergraduate courses are the minimum requirement for a pre-med education, but most students complete a bachelor's degree program to enhance the chances for admittance to medical school. Medical schools require students to complete science courses for entry into the graduate degree program. Courses such as biology, physics, chemistry, math and English must be part of the pre-medical education. Students must also submit scores from the Medical College Admission Test for entry into medical school.
Medical School
Obstetrician gynecologists must complete four years of medical school to qualify as a physician. Courses in medical school include anatomy, physiology, psychology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, ethics and medical laws. Students spend the final two years of medical school in clinical rotations in family practice, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine and surgery. Students will not specialize in obstetrics and gynecology until after completing medical school.
Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency
The student enters an obstetrics and gynecology residency program after medical school to gain experience under the direction of a trained physician. The residency program is paid, on-the-job training that provides students an opportunity to combine classroom training and clinical practice in the obstetrics and gynecology specialty.
Board Certification
The American Board of Medical Specialties provides certification for physicians through 24 member boards. The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology oversees the certification of obstetricians and gynecologists. The physician must have four years of training and two years of clinical practice to qualify for board certification in obstetrics and gynecology. Physicians may specialize in the field further with certification in critical care medicine for obstetrician gynecologists, gynecologic oncology, maternal and fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and infertility and hospice medicine. Additional training is required for specialties in the obstetrics and gynecology field for these specialties.
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