University of Southern California
NAVIGATING YOUR THIRD YEAR
It is important to always make the most of every rotation, even if it is the farthest from one’s area of interest. There is always something to be learned from every patient and every situation encountered as a medical student among residents, attendings, and the LA- County USC patients. Learn to be an active and productive member of the health care team, taking a leading role in the care of your individual patients and treating every situation as a potential learning experience. Often times, the medical student is the one person who has enough time to truly serve as a patient advocate and strong support system; this role should not be undervalued.
OB/GYN CLERKSHIP
The OB/GYN clerkship is a 6-week experience divided into two 3 week blocks, 3 weeks of gynecology at LAC-USC and 3 weeks of OB at California Hospital in the labor and delivery department plus various outpatient OB-related clinics. During the GYN portion, two students become part of a team of four residents (R1 through R4) and go through a cycle of call days, clinic days, and surgery days. Students gain competency in performing a bimanual exam, including speculum exam, as well as managing patients in active labor. The OB portion often affords students the opportunity to deliver babies vaginally as well as participate in C-sections. The outpatient clinics include Maternal Fetal Medicine (higher risk pregnancies) clinic, IVF (in-vitro fertilization) clinic, Eisner midwife-run clinic, Neonatalogy, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Clinic, Genetics, and Endometriosis clinic. A faculty mentor is assigned to a group of 4 students for both the GYN and OB portions for individual teaching activities and focused attention from an established OB/GYN.
For more information about the OBGYN Clerkship, please visit the Clerkship page.
–Overview written by Priyanka Kadam, Class of 2012, OBGYN