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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Obstetrics and Gynecology

Medical Student Education

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine participates in medical student education through third-year clerkships and fourth-year electives. During this very physically and emotionally demanding rotation, educators in this department provide students with a foundation of knowledge and skills in order to better appreciate the specific health care needs of women. The obstetrics and gynecology rotation is a unique educational experience, which involves close interaction with OB-GYN residents and fellows, staff and faculty as well as a hands-on approach to learning by doing.

Obstetrics and gynecology is a multi-faceted specialty that focuses on the medical and surgical principles of women’s health care. The specialty combines two fields: obstetrics, which focuses on the care of women during all phases of pregnancy; and gynecology, which involves the diagnosis and treatment of potential disorders of the female reproductive system.

Learning Environment

Explore the expectations of medical students on the OB-GYN clerkship rotation and find information on the learning environment at IU School of Medicine.
OBGYN MD training scrubbing in

Diverse Patient Population

The department’s education goal is to provide students with an opportunity to develop a working knowledge base in general obstetrics and gynecology. MD students have ample opportunity to scrub in for surgical cases, work closely with OB-GYN staff and residents in both the outpatient and inpatient settings, and experience hands-on training in delivering babies.

OBGYN MD training

Subspecialty Experience

Students may also have the opportunity to work with subspecialists in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery or Gynecologic Oncology. The reproductive health and basic skills students gain during the OB-GYN clerkship help future physicians care for women from adolescence through menopause.

Clerkship Rotation

During the four-week OB-GYN clerkship, students are an integral part of a dynamic team. The educational objectives are met through surgical and clinical experience, as students participate in morning report, attend Grand Rounds and complete online learning modules and assigned reading material. After completing this clerkship, students evaluate the program to advance ongoing quality improvement.

Guest Students

MD Curriculum

OBGYN Clerkship Policies

OBGYN Clerkship Grading

Clinical Training

Clinical training in the OB-GYN clerkship includes experiences in multiple settings, including labor and delivery, the operating room and outpatient clinics in Indianapolis. IU School of Medicine clinical partner sites in Indianapolis include IU Health University Hospital, Eskenazi Hospital, IU Health Methodist and St. Vincent Hospital. At each clinical site, students have approximately equal exposure to both obstetrics and gynecology (either general or subspecialty practice).

Obstetrical clinical activities may include evaluating patients in an obstetric triage for labor or potential complications of pregnancy, following a labor patient throughout her course and participating in the delivery of the infant and postpartum or antepartum rounding. Gynecologic clinical activities include the participation in the evaluation of gynecologic consultations and minor and major surgical procedures.

All students participate in outpatient continuity clinics. OB-GYN continuity clinics include patients seeking routine prenatal care, routine annual health maintenance exams and the evaluation of both acute and chronic gynecologic complaints.

This team may train at IU Health University Hospital, IU Health Methodist Hospital or IU Health North. Rotation on the University team includes obstetric night float, high-risk obstetric days, general gynecology clinic/OR, and gynecologic oncology. Clinic assignments may include University Hospital, IU Health North or Methodist Hospital. Some duty assignments may require students to travel to outside clinic locations, which requires available transportation.

This rotation includes obstetric night float, obstetric days and gynecology clinic. Limited gynecologic oncology experience is available at this site.

This experience includes obstetric night float, obstetric days and gynecology clinic. There is no gynecologic oncology at this site. Some clinic assignments may require students to travel to outside clinic locations, which requires available transportation.

This rotation includes obstetric night float, high-risk obstetric days, general gynecology clinic/OR, and gynecologic oncology. St. Vincent’s students travel to the St. Vincent’s main campus for OR cases.

Non-Clinical Learning

Medical students rotating in OB-GYN receive a reading syllabus to address specific learning objectives posted on Canvas. Recommended texts include Hacker & Moore’s Essentials of Obstetrics and Gynecology (5th ed.) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (7th ed.). Students have free access through an institutional license to the APGO uWise sample questions and teaching cases. Other resources are available to medical students on the OB-GYN clerkship rotation as well.