The specialty of OB/GYN is actually a combination of two different specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology. Many healthcare providers combine these two areas of medicine, resulting in the specialty “obstetrics and gynecology” otherwise known as OB/GYN.

What it is:

Firstly obstetrics focuses on female patients that are pregnant; they care for the patient even before pregnancy begins until after childbirth has occurred. Obstetricians will monitor the growth of the baby, ensure the health of the mom, monitor laboratory testing, and help plan for childbirth.

Gynecology relates more to providing healthcare which involves the female reproductive tract. Some examples of what gynecologists do on a daily basis are providing pap smears to test for cervical cancer, treating menstrual-related diseases, diagnosing urinary dysfunctions, birth control prescriptions, and managing pelvic floor disorders.

In general OB/GYN doctors can answer any questions a woman has about pregnancy, sex, reproductive health, infertility, and many other topics related to the female reproductive system. OB/GYN are qualified surgeons that combine both skills and they are able to perform various surgical procedures, such as cesarean sections and hysterectomies, yet they also conduct in-office procedures, for instance, pap smears and STI tests.

A quick tip: If you find yourself interested in just one of these specialties (obstetrics OR gynecology), remember it is very possible to specialize in the one that interests you the most. You don’t necessarily have to become an OB/GYN doctor, even if that is a possibility!

Many OB/GYN doctors may also further specialize in their field, not only in gynecology or obstetrics, but also in sub-specialties that require additional training or expertise. This includes:

• Maternal-fetal medicine: MFM treats pregnant women with complicated medical disorders, such as renal disease or pre-term labor.
• Gynecological oncology: This subspecialty primarily focuses on diagnosing and treating the cancerous conditions of the female reproductive system.
• Female pelvis specialists: subspecialty of OB/GYN that focuses on pelvic floor disorders, for instance, urinary tract infections or overactive bladder.
• Reproductive endocrinology: This requires special training and qualification in diagnosing and treating infertility conditions.

Benefits and drawbacks:

As with every specialty, there are great benefits to becoming an OB/GYN. In the specialty of OB/GYN, you are able to perform a variety of tasks on a daily basis. You’re able to treat all types of patients and conditions on a daily basis, which is very interesting. You will have both short and long-term patients as well as experience different work environments. As an OB/GYN, you can work at clinics, health organizations, or just regular hospitals. Many OB/GYN also decide to open up private practices which can allow them to be more flexible in their schedule as well as more control over their responsibilities. Another benefit of OB/GYN is that there is a variety of specialties available and you’re able to further gain knowledge, deeper into the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

OB/GYN has many highs, as we just saw, but also many lows. As with any medical specialty, it requires years & years of training and experience. This is not different from other specialties, however, OB/GYN has a very irregular schedule. OB-GYNs often have particularly irregular hours because their pregnant patients may go into labor at any time. You might also need to be on-call at all hours of the day, including nights and weekends. The stress levels that are associated with OB/GYN would be another disadvantage. A doctor in this specialty might need to present patients with bad news in regard to their health, or even in regard to their baby. However, this responsibility is associated with every medical specialty and as an OB/GYN, you’re also able to deliver amazing news to patients on a daily basis.

There are both positive and negative aspects to OB/GYN- it’s not for everyone. But the most important thing is to understand what it takes to be an OB/GYN as well as what it includes.

Day-to-day routine:

Yet, it is most common to specialize in both OB/GYN, because they are two very intertwined specialties. OB/GYN is a 24/7 role- there is no such thing as a “typical day” with this specialty. It is a very multidisciplinary team when working in the labor ward, so you can expect to be on-call at all hours of the day and have a lot of sleepless nights…

As OB/GYN, you are combining a variety of specialties, which makes for an interesting day. An example of a day as an OB/GYN looks very diverse: a workday might include clinical duties, minimally invasive procedures, or even major abdominal procedures. You might also treat long-term patients, and go through the entire pregnancy with them.

Skills required:

As with every specialty, there are various skills and personality traits you should ideally possess if you want to go into this specialty. For example:

1. Possess good communication skills: this is very important, especially when guiding a couple through a difficult pregnancy. If the baby is premature or has other irregularities, it can provoke a lot of stress, which is not good for the baby or for the mom. Also if a couple is expecting their first baby, it can be a bit nerve-racking. You also need good communication skills to communicate with other members of your team, especially in stressful situations.
2. Emotional resilience: When an unexpected situation occurs, it is extremely important for you to remain calm as panic will only scare the parents. OB/GYN can often be stressful hence it is important for you to have a calm temperament.
3. The ability to work well under pressure: This skill is mostly necessary when working with tricky deliveries. Sometimes childbirth can go from 0 to 100 in an instant and you always need to be prepared as you don’t always have a lot of time to assess the situation.
4. Teamwork: As an OB/GYN you will have to manage a multidisciplinary team of nurses, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare professionals that might be involved with your patient. You will need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and calmly to ensure the process is as smooth as possible for your patient.
5. Problem-solving and diagnostic skills: OB/GYN doctors often come across unpredicted situations and need to think critically about how to best resolve this. Sometimes these situations will occur in a controlled environment, such as unexpected lab results. However, a lot of the time problems might happen during active labor where you don’t have a lot of time. Therefore, having problem-solving skills is a great advantage if you decide to become an OB/GYN doctor.

Education process:

With all of that in mind, let’s turn to exactly how you would go about becoming an OB/GYN. First and foremost, you need to graduate from high school, with various subjects that will help you in your future career (for example biology, chemistry, or physics). The next step will depend on where you study; either you need to go on to receive a bachelor’s degree before being accepted to medical school or you go directly to medical school after your high school graduation. This greatly depends on where you want to be educated- you will have to read up on that yourself. Next, after medical school, you are required to complete your OB/GYN residency where you will experience a 4-year course entailing all the experience you will need; from patient diagnosis to surgical care. And lastly, to become a full OB/GYN doctor you will have to get board certified and licensed. Then- congratulations because you have just become a certified OB/GYN physician!

Summary:

So, that was a brief overview of this specialty. Of course, there is a lot more you will need to know but this was the basic information you need to consider OB/GYN as a future option. As with any specialty, there are many sub-specialties that you can also go into but don’t worry about that just yet. When going through medical school, you will experience all of this first-hand and have the opportunity to decide whether this specialty truly is suited for you.