A curriculum for the fourth year of medical school: A survey of obstetrics and gynecology educators

OBJECTIVE: To generate recommendations for a fourth-year rotation curriculum for medical students going into obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn). STUDY DESIGN: A 16-item survey was distributed to all academic Ob/Gyn chairpersons, program directors, and clerkship directors in the United States and Canada inquiring about their recommendations for a fourth-year medical school curriculum for a student who wished to pursue a residency in Ob/Gyn. The survey was also distributed to the faculty and second-year residents at 12 residency program sites. RESULTS: Two Ob/Gyn rotations were recommended by 51.2% (175/342) of respondents. When asked to design a 10-rotation fourth-year curriculum for the student pursuing an Ob/Gyn residency, the 10 most frequent responses were critical care, maternal-fetal medicine, emergency medicine, general Ob/Gyn, anes-thesiology, gynecologic oncology, radiology, boot camp, general surgery, and general internal medicine. Furthermore, 60.1% (208/346) of respondents recommended that the students from their institutions should do audition rotations. CONCLUSION: Ob/Gyn educators support senior medical students interested in pursuing an Ob/Gyn residency to do between 2–3 rotations in women’s health-related fields. Based on the survey, educators recommend students schedule a final year that includes both Ob/Gyn-specific rotations as well as rotations that further support a general medical education that prepares them for residency. In addition, audition rotations are commonly recommended by educators. (J Reprod Med 2019;64:247–255).