Curriculum

Residents in the IU School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology experience a diverse curriculum in both small group lecture and clinical settings. This program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) without warning or probation.

Sample Rotation Schedule

Interns	Second Year	Third Year	Chief Year
Ambulatory Gynecology at IUH	Gynecology at Eskenazi	Elective	Elective
Ambulatory Obstetrics at IUH	Obstetrics Night Float at Eskenazi	Gynecology at IUH	Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at IUH
Gynecology at IUH	Obstetrics at Eskenazi	Gynecological Oncology at IUH	Gynecological Oncology at IUH
Gynecological Oncology at IUH	Family Planning at IUH	Gynecology at Eskenazi	Gynecology at IUH
Obstetrics Triage at Eskenazi	Urogynecology at IUH	Obstetrics Triage at Eskenazi	Gynecology at IUH
Gynecology at Eskenazi	Obstetrics at Riley	Obstetrics at Eskenazi	Gynecology at Eskenazi
Obstetrics Night Float at Eskenazi	Obstetrics High Risk Night Float at Riley	Obstetrics High Risk Night Float at Riley	Gynecology at Eskenazi
Obstetrics at Eskenazi	Gynecology at IUH	Obstetrics at Riley	Obstetrics Night Float at Eskenazi
Obstetrics at Riley	Gynecological Oncology at IUH	Jeopardy at Riley	Obstetrics at Eskenazi
Obstetrics High Risk Night Float at Riley	Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at IUH	Urogynecology at IUH	Obstetrics at Riley

The resident rotation schedule for each academic year is determined by the natural development that an OB-GYN resident undergoes during their time in residency. The milestones provided for OB-GYN by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) are used for the appropriate timing of each rotation in the growth and development of a typical OB-GYN resident. Highlights of the curriculum include one-month electives in years three and four. Past residents have used this time as an opportunity to augment their surgical skills, obtain additional research experience and participate in global health opportunities.

Clinical Training Facilities

IU Health Academic Health Center (AHC) includes both IU Health University Hospital and IU Health Methodist Hospital. Both hospitals are in downtown Indianapolis near the IU School of Medicine Indianapolis campus. The Academic Health Center includes a large obstetric unit that cares for both high-risk and normal-risk obstetric patients. The unit has a high-risk service that receives patients referred from throughout the state of Indiana. Additionally, the Health Net obstetric service is cared for by OB-GYN residents along with a team of nurse midwives and physicians from this Federally Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC) practice. Subspecialty services include gynecologic oncology, minimally invasive surgery, perinatology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. At Eskenazi Health (formerly known as Wishard Memorial Hospital), an acute care facility operated by Marion County Health and Hospital Corporation, there is a large population of general obstetrics and gynecology patients that are considered high-risk patients based on their prior access to care and underserved status. Eskenazi Health’s Outpatient Care Center is an outpatient facility associated with the hospital. The resident continuity clinics are housed at these sites and allow residents access to a large, urban, underserved population.

Conferences/Didactics

Residents in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology participate in a robust didactic curriculum that provides a comprehensive educational experience. Protected education time occurs weekly from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm and follows the educational objectives provided by the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Lectures are recorded on video to provide additional learning opportunities. Monthly surgical and technical simulations help reinforce concepts taught throughout training. Residents are also involved in medical student education in both small group and clinical settings.

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery

Residents participate in a formal fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery curriculum led by the department’s minimally-invasive gynecologic surgery faculty. The goal is to complete the curriculum by the second year of residency. The exam fee is covered by the department.

Ryan Program Training Site

The IU School of Medicine OB-GYN residency program is a designated Ryan Program Training Site. The Ryan Program, founded in 1999, is a national initiative based at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health at the University of California-San Francisco. The mission of this national program is to integrate and enhance family planning training for obstetrics and gynecology residents in the United States and Canada.

Family planning and contraception are fundamental to women’s health and training is incorporated throughout the four-year residency program. Residents receive training in long acting reversible contraception (LARC) and participate in a values-clarification exercise that allows them to fully explore their personal role in the family planning experience. During the second-year family planning rotation, OB-GYN residents are exposed to adolescent medicine clinics and Planned Parenthood. At Planned Parenthood, residents get experience in colposcopy, LEEP, complicated IUD placement and removal and contraceptive implant and removal. There is an opt-out policy so residents do not have to participate in procedures that conflict with their personal beliefs.

Advocacy Curriculum

Residents participate in an advocacy curriculum led by assistant residency program director Katherine McHugh, MD. The curriculum includes sessions throughout the year culminating in an annual state lobby day at the Indiana State Capitol. Each year the department and local American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) chapter sponsor resident attendees to ACOG's Congressional Leadership Conference (CLC).

LGBTQ Care

IU School of Medicine is a national leader in focused LGBTQ care. The school has an LGBTQ care track for family medicine, psychiatry and OB-GYN residents. It also hosts one of the most comprehensive and affordable LGBTQ Health Care Conferences in the country.

Department faculty members see patients the IU Health Coleman Center as well as at the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Health Transgender Clinic, where residents spend time during their family planning rotation. The transgender clinic at Eskenazi is a multidisciplinary clinic where family medicine physicians, mental health professionals, plastic surgeons, OB-GYNs and others come together to provide care for patients.

Global Health

Indiana University School of Medicine is the founding U.S. partner and leader of the Academic Model Providing Access to Health Care (AMPATH), a large-scale, community-based program that is dramatically improving health in western Kenya through research, training and health services. OB-GYN residents at IU School of Medicine are invited to apply for the IU Interdepartmental Global Health Medical Residency Training Track during their intern year.

Retreats and Activities

Each year, OB-GYN residents participate in several events that are designed to provide additional time and space for growth as a cohesive unit.

Intern Orientation

Prior to beginning the residency program, all interns participate in an intern orientation. The orientation occurs at the end of June and is designed as an “Intern Boot Camp” that introduces or re-introduces our new residents to OB-GYN-specific skills and knowledge. The event also includes time for OB-GYN residents to complete some of the administrative duties that need to be finished prior to residency.
Education Retreat

Each spring, all residents in the OB-GYN residency program participate in an all-day, educational retreat. Faculty cover for the residents at each site the night prior to the retreat and during the day so all residents are able to attend. The retreat is designed to provide time and education for residents to improve their skills as teachers. Recent topics include giving feedback, teamwork, teaching in the operating room, communication and preparing for life after residency.
Team Building

Events are scheduled throughout the year to improve team chemistry and promote physician wellness. Team-building events have included ropes courses, laser tag and other activities designed to improve communication and camaraderie.
Service Projects

OB-GYN residents not only serve their patient population, but also serve their community. Residents and faculty come together several times a year to complete service projects that help us to stay in touch with the community we serve. Past projects include delivering Mother’s Day goodie bags to a local domestic violence shelter, clothing drives and participating in walks with various organizations.