Program Curriculum

Throughout each year, the residents are responsible for instructing the 3rd and 4th year medical students that rotate on our services. The program is affiliated with Wayne State University School of Medicine, St. George University School of Medicine, and Central Michigan University School of Medicine.

As part of the Educational Curriculum, residents have protected time slots and participate in the following departmental conferences/lectures:

• OB/GYN Grand Rounds
• High-Risk OB Conference and Rounds
• OB-GYN Resident Seminar
• Pathology Conference
• Morning and Evening Sign out
• Benign GYN and OB Teaching Rounds
• Journal Review
• Office Medicine Conference
• NICU Admission Conference
• Ultrasound Teaching Sessions
• Resident Counseling Lectures
• Monthly ACOG Publication Exams
• QA Committee (Chief Resident)
• Morbidity/Mortality Conference
• GYN Tumor Board
• Departmental Meeting Guest Lecture

Obstetrics/Maternal Fetal Medicine

The large volume of normal and abnormal cases cared for by our obstetrics service provides excellent training opportunities for the residents. All patients (staff, clinic and private) are managed by the residents. For PGY1 residents, we encourage early hands-on experience with deliveries and first-assisting during cesarean deliveries. PGY1 residents are actively involved in the management of laboring patients and evaluation of triage patients. PGY2 and PGY3 residents assume greater responsibilities with regard to running the service, taking care of high-risk patients and performing procedures including operative deliveries. PGY4 residents serve as chiefs of the Obstetric service throughout the year and manage the care of high-risk patients. All residents are assigned to a continuity of care OB clinic once per week. Two high-risk clinics per week are also covered by the OB team.

Gynecology

Residents on the GYN service cover all cases in the operating room, see consults for patients in the ER and on the floor, and manage all postoperative patients and inpatients admitted with gynecologic problems. The GYN service cares for a wide variety of both routine and complicated cases. PGY1 residents perform D&C’s, laparoscopies and minor cases with supervision and assist on major gynecologic surgeries. PGY2 residents perform abdominal hysterectomies, laparotomies and operative laparoscopies and assist on vaginal surgeries, robotic surgeries and oncology cases. PGY3 and PGY4 residents perform laparoscopic hysterectomies, vaginal hysterectomies and robotic and oncology surgeries. All residents are assigned to a continuity of care GYN clinic once per week. Colposcopy is taught in the continuity of care GYN clinics as well as through the oncology service.

Gynecology Oncology

Residents participate in the Gynecologic Oncology service starting as PGY2’s. As PGY3’s and PGY4’s, residents serve as chief of the oncology service. Two board-certified gynecologic oncologists are based at St. John Hospital, for a combined 3 full OR days and 2 clinic days per week. The GYN Oncologists are faculty members at Wayne State University and therefore, research opportunities and participation in multi-center clinical trials are available to the residents. Residents also work closely with GYN-ONC fellows from Wayne State University who rotate at our hospital. The oncology rotation objectives for third and fourth year residents include surgical training, basic principles of oncologic surgery and chemotherapy, management of acutely ill patients, and mentorship for those who are interested in post-residency subspecialty training. Residents participate in daily rounds on hospitalized oncology patients, attend weekly preoperative conferences and monthly tumor board meetings, and assist in all surgeries.

Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility

Residents are assigned to formal REI rotations as PGY3’s. Residents spend 1.5 months in a private Reproductive Endocrinology office which features in-vitro fertilization facilities. This office experience provides exposure to evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with infertility as well as a variety of other endocrinologic disorders. Residents observe and participate in procedures such as hysterosalpingograms and sonohysterography during this rotation. Considerable vaginal ultrasound experience is gained during this month.