Obstetrics & Gynecologists
Obstetrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on monitoring pregnancies and delivering babies. Doctors specializing in obstetrics are called obstetricians. Gynecologists are doctors that specialize in the health of a woman's reproductive system, including diagnosing and treating problems. A doctor that specializes in both obstetrics and gynecology is known as an OB/GYN.
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Job Overview
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There is a great deal of overlap between obstetrics and gynecology, and it is common for doctors that specialize in one of these fields to specialize in both. Gynecologists offer routine care focusing on a woman's reproductive system, including annual exams to screen for problems with reproductive organs, such as ovaries and uterus. Obstetricians oversee the care of pregnant women, and work to help a woman and baby stay healthy during pregnancy and the postpartum period. An OB/GYN can also detect and treat sexually transmitted diseases and infertility.
Education
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Becoming a doctor requires four years of undergraduate school followed by four years of medical school. After medical school, candidates wishing to specialize in obstetrics or gynecology enter a residency focusing on obstetrics, gynecology or both. A residency is graduate education in the form of paid on-the-job training. According to the Women's Health Channel, a residency to become an OB/GYN is a minimum of four years in length. During a residency, candidates learn primary and preventive care, reproductive endocrinology, ultrasonography and gynecological oncology.
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Licensure and Certification
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In the United States, all doctors are required to be licensed. After graduating from an accredited medical school, candidates must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam. Candidates who wish to specialize in obstetrics or gynecology may wish to obtain board certification. After completing a residency, OB/GYN candidates can take an exam administered by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. All physicians certified after 1986 must obtain recertification every 10 years.
Specialization
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There are several subspecialties of obstetrics and gynecology, and each has its own board certification exam. Physicians can become specialists in one or more of these subspecialties. Gynecologic oncologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancer. Specialists in maternal/fetal medicine focus on treating patients with complications of pregnancy. Other specializations include reproductive endocrinology and reconstructive pelvic surgery.
Considerations
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Gynecologists or OB/GYN doctors can serve as primary care physicians for women and can also serve as consultants to other doctors. Obstetricians and gynecologists may have private practices or work in hospitals or clinics. Some serve as teachers at university hospitals. These doctors provide highly specialized care of women.
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References
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