Career/Industry Forecast

Job Title
Obstetrics and Gynecology

Job Description
An OB/GYN is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases and
disorders that affect women, and pregnancies. When dealing with pregnancies, OB/GYNs monitor
the health of an expecting mother, which continues through childbirth and postpartum. When
dealing with gynecology, the physicians perform annual examinations, documenting their patient’s
medical histories, and counsel on diet, hygiene, sexual health and disease prevention.
As an OB/GYN, a physician can take one of two routes. They can either work in a hospital
environment, set up their own clinic, or do both. In general, most OB/GYN do both, where they do
check ups with their patient and help deliver their child at a hospital. However, specialists can lean
toward one aspect OB/GYN field, such as examining the reproductive system of females or focusing
their attention to expecting mothers. When deciding to do private practice, generalists most
commonly practice in small or large groups. A small number of OB/GYNs are in solo practice. From
there on, an OB/GYN’s job consists of office hours, surgery, and management of labor and delivery.
Though overlooked, one key aspect of the OB/GYN field is that many physicians will find
themselves in childbirth-related, high-stress situations, which could occur any time of the day. In
order to be the best health care provider, an OB/GYN must have discipline. This means that the
ability to stay calm under pressure, and to show compassion and empathy at all times, is crucial in
this career field. Pregnancies can cause stress and anxiety to an expecting mother, so it is important
that an OB/GYN stands as an emotional figure willing to help them through this journey. It is also
imperative to have excellent communication skills since OB/GYN must deliver complex, technical
medical information to their patients in an easy to understand manner so that they comprehend
what medications they have to take, or what type of surgery will be performed.

Training, Education, and Certification

To become an OB/GYN, education and training is more than a crucial component. To start, it is
required to earn a Bachelor's degree. There is no specific degree that is required to become an
OB/GYN. However, it is recommended to take multiple scientific courses, such as biology,
chemistry, and physics. Throughout college, students study and prepare for the MCAT, Medical
College Admission Test Exam, which is required when applying to medical schools. After gaining a
Bachelor’s degree, and taking the MCAT, the next step is medical school. In medical school, the first
two years will be heavily based around class material. Students are required to have specific health
related courses, such as human anatomy, microbiology, and genetics. After the intensive courses,
the last two years are geared toward gaining experience in the medical field. Along with taking
selective classes, students visit hospitals and clinics and, under the supervision of various
physicians, rotate through various specialties. These include internal medicine, pediatrics, and
OB/GYN. However, before these students can earn a doctorate, they must take the USMLE, or United
States Medical Licensing Examination. This is a multi-step process which analyzes clinical skills and
knowledge essential to the medical field. Then, when completing medical school and passing the
USMLE, a student earns a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD). Once earning a Bachelor’s degree and
MD degree, the student turns into a resident. This, in theory, means that it is required to complete a
4 year OB/GYN residency. There is more extensive training and experience in a professional setting
with an array of tasks, ranging from managing pregnancy and labor to treating diseases of the
female reproductive system. After a year of internship, it is required to apply for a medical license.
This will allow for the practice of medicine inside of the state. Once these 4 years have passed, it is
recommended to become certified by the American Board of Medical Specialists. After completing
this long journey, a physician can earn their title of OB/GYN. On average, 90 percent of these
OB/GYNs will become generalists and begin practice.

College or Post High School Programs and Recommended High School Courses
In order to get into medical school, one of the major steps in becoming an OB/GYN, there is no
special degree that is required for applications. Therefore, there is no direct, step-by-step plan since
multiple students obtain their medical degrees in various ways. However, there are still steps that
can be accomplished during high school that can pave the way to a clearer future.
In order to get accepted into a university with your desired degree plan, there are defining features
that can help with acceptance. Aside from maintaining high academic standards, and enrolling in
health related classes, colleges are now recommending that students participate in extracurricular
activities. These include joining clubs, or sticking with a specific organization for all 4 years of high
school, such as band, orchestra, or athletics. Furthermore, the importance of volunteering has risen.
To be able to work with organizations outside of school is not only a great way to stand out among
applicants, but it improves your community at the same time. However, there is still more to be
desired. In recent years, leadership positions have become a beacon of hard work and dedication.
Colleges have an inclination to accept applicants that can show they are excellent leaders that can
create plans or ideas that helps the group function as one unit. It can also be said that this trait
helps in the OB/GYN field since these doctors must know what orders to give their nurses, or other
doctors, for the wellbeing of the patient. With these traits and experiences combined, applicants
look appealing to the office of admissions. Once a student receives an acceptance letter to their
university, it is recommended to continue taking science related courses, participating in various
clubs and organizations, volunteering regularly, and earning different leadership roles.

National and Local Professional Organizations

There are multiple national organizations related to the medical field. However, the most significant
of these, that applies to all fields, is the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS). This is a
nonprofit organization that sets the highest standards when becoming a physician. When people
speak of “becoming board certified,” they mean that the ABMS has approved of your practice and
wants to honor this. Though physicians can still practice with a MD degree and medical license,
having board certification gives a physician more certification. Patients are more likely to appoint a
consultation with a board certified member since it shows years of education and experience in the
medical field.
In addition, there are specific organizations related to the OB/GYN field. One example of this is the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It is a premier professional membership
organization dedicated to the advancement of women’s health care and the professional and
socioeconomic interests of its members through continuing medical education, practice, research,
and advocacy. They hope to provide the highest quality education worldwide, improve health care
for women by practice and research, lead advocacy for national and international women’s health
care issues, and provide excellent organizational support and services for its members. Its activities
include producing the College's practice guidelines and other educational material. When
graduating from the college, a physician is known as a Fellow of ACOG (FACOG). With this title, it
represents that an OB/GYN who is devoted to the practice of obstetrics and gynecology, who
possess an unrestricted license to practice medicine, and have attained high ethical and
professional standing. Aside from these major organizations, there are a plethora of, such as the
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, International Federation of Gynecology and
Obstetrics, International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, March of Dimes, Society
of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), and World Federation
for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB).

Related Areas
Although many OB/GYN prefer to practice as a generalist, there are four primary subspecialties in
the field of OB/GYN. These are maternal fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and infertility,
female pelvic medicine, and reconstructive surgery and gynaecologic oncology. To practice in these
subspecialities, a fellowship must be completed for three years, with one of those years dedicated to
research in the subfield.
One path an OB/GYN may choose is maternal fetal medicine (MFM). This field specializes in the
complications of pregnancy, or high-risk pregnancies. Their main goal is to maintain the mother’s
health while her baby is growing. They can provide different treatments, such as blood transfusions
or surgeries. If the mother has any medical problems, such as high blood loss or early labor, the
MFM is the first sub specialist to arrive at the scene. This can also be said for the baby if there are
complications, such as a birth defect or growth problem
Another field available is reproductive endocrinology and infertility. As the name suggests, these
specialists work with fertility and the hormonal functioning of the reproductive system. Those that
follow an OB/GYN route specifically relate with infertility. They may give a couple advice when
conceiving a child, such as medicine, or they can provide other methods in order to conceive a child.
Furthermore, female pelvic medicine is a subspeciality provided to OB/GYNs. Commonly referred
to as urogynecology, this sub specialty deals with treating diseases of the female urinary system,
more specifically complex pelvic floor disorders. These diseases include interstitial cystitis, urinary
incontinence, and overactive bladder. For certain diseases, the sub specialists may need to perform
surgeries in order to treat their patient
Lastly, there is reconstructive surgery and gynaecologic oncology. This subfield deals with the
diagnosis and treatment of cancers related to the female reproductive system. This includes an
array of cancers such as ovarian, vaginal, and cervical cancer.

Salary
Typically, when completing college, students hoping to become physicians do not earn their desired
job since they must attend. It isn’t until they reach residency when the pay receive an “official”
salary from working in their desired field. For the OB/GYN career, residents earn an average of $53,
696. With more experience, finishing residency, and becoming board certified, this salary will
increase. Once becoming a certified, the average salary for OB/GYNs was $264,367. The salary may
be over the average for an OB/GYN that is the director of their own private practice, rather than
being hired by a hospital.

Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is projected that employment of physicians will
increase by 14% between 2014 and 2024. This can be attributed to the constant growth of the
medical field and the constant innovations being made. These new technologies and subfields will
create more job openings, allowing for a higher employment rate. In association to OB/GYNs, this
will greatly benefit the OB/GYN field. Along with a shortage of doctors, the United States is in
demand for OB/GYN professionals. With these circumstances, there will be more employed
OB/GYNs to treat patients and handel pregnancies.

Terminology
When​ ​referring to the OB/GYN profession, there are 2 main fields: obstetrics and gynecology.
Obstetrics is defined as a branch of medicine concerned with childbirth and the care of women
giving birth. Gynecology is classified as the study of the functions and diseases of the female
reproductive system.
In the field of OB/GYN, there are multiple machines utilized when examining patients. The most
common of these is the ultrasound machine. It uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of
organs and structures inside the body. In this process, a water-based gel is applied to the skin on
the area to be examined. A handheld probe called a transducer is placed on the gel and moved over
the area being examined. The high-frequency sound waves from the transducer reflect off body
structures. A computer receives these waves and uses them to create a picture of the organs inside
a body. Though there are multiple purposes for this machine, in the OB/GYN field, it is used to take
images of the fetus and monitor growth.
There are also a variety of surgical procedures performed by OB/GYNs. However, the most popular
is the Caesarean section (C-section). This is a surgical procedure where incisions are made into the
abdomen and uterus to deliver a baby. This procedure is performed when there will be expected
complication with vaginal delivery. These include labor is not processing, a mother is carrying
multiple children, or, most common reason, the baby is in an abnormal position. This is because,
when giving birth, the infant's head must face toward the birth canal, rather than their feet or
buttocks, in order to ensure that there are no complications with the umbilical cord.

Analysis
Throughout my research, I discovered new information that created a variety of emotions within
me. Despite this, my new found knowledge of the OB/GYN profession encourages me to continue
down this path. Knowing that these physicians help women in an essential part of their lives is truly
amazing. However, it would be a lie that there weren’t some disheartening facts about this
profession. Along with medical school, an OB/GYN must obtain a medical license, complete
residency, and become board certified. If an OB/GYN wants to pursue a subfield, such as maternal
fetal medicine, they must dedicate another 3 years of research and training. In total, that equates to
approximately 12-15 years of education. Though I do enjoy learning, 15 consecutive years of school
does not sound so appealing. However, my mind was not deterred. When researching terminology, I
came across multiple topics that I enjoy learning about, such as types of surgeries, or different
machines utilized in the field. This has given me hope to educate myself further about the OB/GYN
field.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annotations -  
When researching about basic informaton regarding the OB/GYN career, Learn.org was a great 
tool. In the beginning, it lists out the basic definition of an OB/GYN (“obstetrician and 
gynecologist (OB/GYN) is a physician who specializes in women's reproductive health and 
pregnancy”), which was helpful because I could break down the definition into specific tasks, 
and research each topic (“breast cancer, hormonal disorders and cervical cancer”). That way, I 
had a clearer understanding of all the duties of an OB/GYN.  
 
 
The next feature of the website was a table which stated important information about OB/GYN. 
It lists degrees required, training required, median salary, and much more. All of these piceses of 
information were useful to me since it answered a few of the questions required in this 
assignment. I took the details stated and researched more in depht, using the data listed in the 
table as a guiding pont in case I was confused or lost. 
 
 
 
The bottom of the page is where the information listed in the table was explained. Job duties, 
employment outlook, and education all benifited in my knowlegede of my field. It went into 
detail as to what was stated by the definition at the top of the article (“treatment and prevention 
of diseases and disorders that affect women, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer and 
menopause…work with expecting mothers throughout their pregnancies... responsibilities also 
include performing annual examinations…”). However, what stood out to me the most was the 
education reqired for becoming an OB/GYN. It put into perspective how many years of 
education is required to become a physician 
 
Citations

Cinsee, et al. “What Is the Difference between Obstetrics and Gynecology?” ​Virginia

Beach OBGYN,​ 4 Aug. 2016,

https://www.virginiabeachobgyn.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-obstetrics-and-gynec

ology/​.

Decker, Fred. “OB/GYN Related Careers.” ​Chron.com​, 9 Nov. 2016,

https://work.chron.com/ob-gyn-related-careers-19202.html​.

Learn.org​,

https://learn.org/articles/OBGYN_Job_Duties_Employment_Outlook_and_Educational_Require

ments.html​.

“NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms.” ​National Cancer Institute,​

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/obstetrics-and-gynecology​.

Travers, Michelle. “The Role of an OB-GYN.” ​Gap Medics Australia,​ 1 May 2014,

https://www.gapmedics.com/aus/blog/2014/05/01/the-role-of-an-ob-gyn/.