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Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program

The purpose of our four-year program in Obstetrics and Gynecology is to provide training in women's health care consistent with requirements of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Lutheran General is a freestanding, regional tertiary care center with a strong local community hospital identity; it is a unique place to train. Residents are exposed to a large, varied patient population to gain superior skills in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as in all subspecialties. The residency program is fully accredited by the ACGME.

Lutheran General Hospital is a level-one trauma center. We have outstanding departments and educational programs in internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, neonatology and emergency medicine.

Medical clerkships rotating with the Department of Obstetric & Gynecology currently are the University of Illinois, Chicago and Rosalind Franklin University/Chicago Medical School. The residents are primarily responsible for student education during these rotations. The Department also offers medical student electives to fourth year students in the areas of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Urogynecology and Gyn Oncology.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Ambulatory Continuity Clinic

We have an excellent clinic located in the Parkside Building attached to the hospital. The Residency Clinic is a continuity clinic and provides an opportunity to develop our residents clinical and interpersonal skills. Our clinic is supervised by a ten member generalist faculty. The faculty has extensive experience in teaching primary care and ambulatory obstetrics and gynecology. Our residents spend day per week in the clinic managing their own panel of patients. The latest technologies are available to support our residents education including urodynamics, 3-D/4-D ultrasound and an electronic medical record.

Residents receive comprehensive training in primary care for women through experience in the continuity clinic, subspecialty clinics and a strong didactic program. The demographics of the continuity clinic are younger women of child bearing age. However, our subspecialty clinics such as Urogynecology and Gynecologic Oncology care for an older patient population.

The residents receive training in perioperative and postoperative management of patients with multiple medical problems in these outpatient clinics. The maternal fetal medicine clinic provides the residents exposure to medical conditions affecting the mother and fetus. The residents are given increasing responsibility under the supervision of Faculty which is designed to maximize patient safety. By their fourth year the senior residents are capable of managing the normal operations of an outpatient clinic.

Gynecology

Surgical cases are managed by the appropriate level resident, based on the principle of graduated responsibility. Current estimates of the department's surgical caseload are in the range of 150 vaginal and 300-400 abdominal hysterectomies each year. In addition, several hundred operative laparoscopies, including the use of robotic surgery, are performed each year by nationally recognized faculty in this area. Didactic experience is obtained through daily teaching rounds and monthly morbidity conferences and lectures.

Gynecologic Oncology

Currently, there is one full-time Gynecologic Oncologist working in the Department. The Oncology rotation occurs during the third year of residency with back-up from a second year resident. Daily teaching rounds and weekly conferences make up the didactic portion of the rotation. There is also a weekly multidisciplinary Gynecologic Oncology conference. Approximately 200 major oncology cases occur annually, with those numbers continuing to increase considerably each year.

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI)

Six specialists in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility practice at Lutheran General Hospital. A two month block of time is spent on REI during the resident's second year. In months when a resident is not assigned to this rotation, surgical and hospital based experiences are shared by appropriate level residents on the gynecology service. Regular lectures are given by members of this division to complement the clinical experience.

Urogynecology

There are three full-time faculty members in the division of Urogynecology. Residents rotate on Urogynecology during their 3rd and 4th years. Residents are exposed to a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities including urodynamic testing and non-surgical treatment protocols. Regular lectures are given by members of the division as part of the residents' didactic curriculum.

High-risk obstetrics patient management

Consultive and primary care of patients with medical obstetrical problems. Preconception counseling and pregnancy planning. During obstetrical rotations; residents participate in daily teaching rounds on all high-risk patients.

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital is a designated Level III hospital and receives maternal transports from a wide geographical area, representing a diverse patient population. Through these services, the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine offers comprehensive care of the mother and child. Along with clinical activities, the MFM division participates in weekly morbidity and mortality conferences on aspects of perinatal care and monthly lectures.

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This article is reposted with thanks to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.