Clerkship
Welcome to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship at the University of Michigan Medical School.
- General Guidelines
- Professionalism
- Rotation
- Team Responsibilities
- Class Schedule
- Conferences/Lectures
- Patient Write-ups
- Progress Notes
- Patient Charts
- Evaluation Process
- Ob/Gyn Recommended Textbook List
- Student Responsibilities
General Guidelines
The U-M Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is a unique educational experience that involves close interaction with house staff and faculty, and a hands-on approach to learning by doing. A physician specializing in obstetrics or gynecology often is considered a woman’s primary care provider, and with this in mind, students are encouraged to learn not only obstetrics and gynecology, but women's health, in general. During the six-week clerkship, most students will encounter a multitude of clinical problems. Knowledge gained while solving a particular patient problem is knowledge that is retained and applicable to other patients with similar problems.
Professionalism
In addition to the Medical School’s definition of "‘professionalism" in the Student Handbook, the following guidelines should be followed in all disciplines, not just Obstetrics/Gynecology.
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Students are expected to display the utmost discretion and highest caliber of conduct at all times. Specifically, students should refrain from using language inappropriate in a professional atmosphere and discussing problems of a sensitive or controversial nature within earshot of patients, hospital visitors or hospital staff.
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Students are expected to introduce themselves (as a medical student) to nurses, patients, residents and attending physicians. For the laboring patient, a student should always meet both patient and attending as early in the process as possible and get verbal permission from both to participate in the patient's care.
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Professional appearance and conduct are, to say the least, expected. This means appropriate dress on clinic days, including for men neat/clean pants, shirt and tie, and for women, appropriate length dresses and skirts or pants. Hair styles are many and varied, but should not interfere with examinations or detract from professional demeanor. In addition, good personal hygiene also is expected because a lack thereof can distract from one's ability to perform assigned duties. It is expected that a student will address residents and attendings as "Dr. ________," unless they have been specifically told by that physician that they may be more informal and address them by their first name.
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When entering a patient's room for an examination, always knock on the door, then wait for the patient to acknowledge you and give you permission to enter.
Rotation
The clerkship is divided into two three-week periods. All students will spend three weeks on an obstetrics rotation (labor and delivery) and another three weeks in a gynecology rotation, part of which will be spent on gynecology/oncology.
Team Responsibilities
You will be an active member of the Obstetrics, Gynecology or Gynecology Oncology service. The attending physician has overall responsibility for the care of the patients and the teaching of housestaff. The attending physician has the legal responsibility and is ultimately in charge of all patient care. Consequently, any question regarding patient management, or communication of medical opinion, should be deferred to the house officers or the attending physician.
You should keep in mind that although we wish you to become as involved with the care of your patients as possible, it is your principle obligation to use this clerkship to its full advantage to develop a pattern of self-education that will serve you well for many years to come. This means that although the day-to-day "busy work" of ward activity may give you the instant appearance of a physician, it is the continual acquisition of information and development of judgment that will help you become an excellent physician.
Class Schedule
We consider being on-call during the Obstetrics/Gynecology clerkship an essential and rewarding feature of the clerkship. The experience of being on-call is necessary and is not received in any other format.
Conferences/Lectures
Formal teaching conferences are presented throughout the rotation and offer a variety of topics which include: pregnancy and loss, hypertension in pregnancy, pre-term labor, ectopic pregnancy, diabetes in pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, abnormal pap smears, pelvic masses, maternal mortality, postpartum hemorrhage, puberty and menopause, sexuality, etc. You are expected to attend these conferences.
Patient Write-ups
Students will be required to perform satisfactory obstetrical/gynecological histories and physicals, and are responsible for knowing patient histories and for writing notes on charts (co-signed by house officer).
Progress Notes
A daily note should be written on each patient you are following. This note should summarize the patient's progress that day, including results of laboratory tests, changes in physical findings, response to therapy, etc. New physical findings, unexpected laboratory results, and any important developments should be discussed, including an appropriate assessment of their meaning and importance as well as a plan for further work-up or therapy. Each note should be discussed with and countersigned by the house officer responsible for the patient.
Patient Charts
Patient charts will be kept in the patient care center (nursing station). When using a chart, it should not leave the immediate patient care center area.
Evaluation Process
The primary goal of the third-year Obstetrics/Gynecology Clerkship is to expose each student to as many patients with as wide a spectrum of medical disorders as possible. Each student is expected to focus on the pregnancy or gynecologic processes of his or her individual patients and to learn as much as possible about each patient’s problems/procedures. This will enhance the student's retention of information and enable him or her to "learn how to learn" to care for future patients with problems they have not yet encountered.
The department assesses students' capabilities in several ways. The final grade is based on performance in all categories:
Ob/Gyn Recommended Textbook List
- Beckmann, Obstetrics & Gynecology for Medical Students, 5th edition, Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
- Hacker & Moore, Essentials of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 4th edition, Saunders, 2004
Additional texts:
