Clinical Year: OB\/GYN Rotation as a PA Student

OB/GYN was my first surgical rotation, and I didn't realize how much surgery is involved in this specialty until I was there. I'll be honest, I wasn't excited going in. I'd never done a Pap smear and figured I'd be fine never doing one, but it turned out to be an important skill to practice.

My preceptor and her medical assistant were a blast to work with. My preceptor trained in Europe, so she brought a different medical model and very strong opinions, which made for some interesting discussions. She was laid back, patient, and never condescending, even when she was busy running between the office and the hospital. That kind of preceptor makes a huge difference in how much you enjoy and learn from a rotation.

On my second day I met at the hospital at 6 am, terrified I'd pass out at the first incision. I'd nearly fainted watching a punch biopsy while shadowing in derm, which is funny now that I do those myself. But once the transverse incision started and I saw the organs I'd been studying, my nerves melted and I was hooked. Having a cadaver lab in anatomy really paid off here.

When we weren't in surgery, we saw patients in the office for annual checks and pregnancy checks. I learned to do Pap smears and vaginal exams, plus pregnancy checks with a Doppler, fundal measurement, palpation, and later cervical exams for dilation and effacement. My rotation happened to fall during a busy birth stretch: I assisted in nine C-sections and saw five vaginal births, while a classmate with the same preceptor in February saw none. It's really hit or miss what you'll catch.

I ended up really enjoying OB/GYN, and I liked the OB side more than the GYN side. If you love it, there are residencies available, but scope of practice varies by state. In Georgia, PAs are not able to deliver babies. [VERIFY] We had a PA who'd done a residency in California and completed over 500 deliveries come speak to our class, and she still wasn't cleared to deliver in Georgia. [VERIFY]

So if the OB part excites you, look into your state's laws before committing to a residency. The main book I used was Beckmann's Obstetrics and Gynecology, which is easy to read and thorough. I felt most prepared for this end-of-rotation exam out of all of them. Blueprints for OB/GYN and Case Files for OB/GYN are solid choices too.

OB/GYN can be intimidating going in, but it's often where students surprise themselves and find a love for the OR. Approach it with curiosity, study consistently, and don't be afraid to ask your preceptor questions. If you want help thinking through specialties or surviving clinical year, we're here for it. This post is part of our Clinical Year series, so check out the surgery and pediatrics rotations too.