Tuesday mornings from 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. are devoted to resident teaching sessions which include Grand Rounds, Practice Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI), maternal morbidity and mortality conferences, didactic teaching presentations by faculty on a number of obstetrics and gynecology topics from the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) learning objectives, and skills lab sessions coordinated by Lauren Coyne, MD.
Residents are evaluated for cognitive, technical, and interpersonal skills.
Cognitive abilities are assessed in part by an annual written examination of the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology. (CREOG In-training Examination).
Residents are eligible to take Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
Written evaluations of all aspects of performance including surgical assessment and rotation evaluation are prepared by the faculty at the completion of each inpatient rotation.
Residents have the opportunity to participate in the Ryan Program for family planning training.
Residents meet individually with the program director at least twice annually to discuss their professional development.
Each resident, supported by departmental funds, may attend one national or regional medical meeting during their residency. Additional financial support is available to residents who have had posters and abstracts accepted at national meetings.
Residents attend a departmental postgraduate conference that is presented each year. Held in the fall, it is a general program in obstetrics and gynecology attended by approximately 200 physicians from Iowa and surrounding states. Fourth year residents present their research project at this conference.
The University of Iowa Obstetric and Gynecologic Alumni Society, an organization of former residents, fellows, and faculty of the department, holds its annual meeting in conjunction with the postgraduate conference. The program has a guest faculty of two or three nationally prominent individuals (whom the residents have ample opportunity to meet) as well as the departmental faculty.
The Alumni Society supports an annual visiting professorship, providing for an individual of international renown to spend approximately two weeks in the department. During this time the major portion of the visiting professor's time is spent with residents.