OB/GYN Core Clerkship

School of Medicine

Obstetrics and gynecology is one of the most unique fields in medicine. Women experience different phases throughout their life from puberty, extending through reproductive years, and transitioning into menopause. Each has its own unique physiologic and physical changes. Obstetrics and gynecology is a vital part of medical student education as all physicians will be a part of providing care for women throughout their career. The obstetrics and gynecology core clerkship serves as a foundational learning experience for students as they begin to understand women’s health and wellness and learn to manage and evaluate patients with a broad range of medical diseases throughout the unique phases of a woman’s life including pregnancy. Students will spend time with generalists and sub-specialists across Vanderbilt University Medical Center and outlying clinics. During this rotation, students experience the breadth and diversity of health and pathology, integrating both the science and art of medicine. Students practice experiential clinical learning at the bedside in multidisciplinary teams under the direct supervision of house staff and faculty. All students experience two weeks on labor and delivery, two weeks on a surgical service (either gynecology or gynecologic oncology), and two weeks of outpatient clinic. The outpatient clinic experience includes both generalist obstetrics and gynecology and sub-specialists (maternal–fetal medicine, urogynecology, minimally invasive surgery, gynecologic oncology, genetics, ultrasound). While on labor and delivery students will work both day and night shifts learning about antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care being exposed to cesarean and vaginal births and evaluating patients in obstetric triage. During their surgical weeks, they will learn perioperative care and assist in surgery learning basic surgical skills. Other learning activities include Friday didactics, small group (case-based learning), Grand Rounds, resident chalk talks, and various educational conferences built into the inpatient experience (gynecology didactics, tumor board, preop conference). The Obstetrics and gynecology Core Clerkship is one of the 6 required core clerkships that comprise the Foundations of Clinical Care (FCC) Phase during the second year of VUSM’s MD curriculum.