APGO

Poster
Carrie L. Bell, MD

R Kevin Reynolds, MD, Peggy Engel , Timothy RB Johnson, MD

Background: APGO serves educators focused on women’s health by providing resources and support. Faculty in Obstetrics and Gynecology rely on APGO for this vital role. Currently, no unifying organization or committee exists for fellowships in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2010, a group of educators committed to the training of fellows formed a Committee on Fellowship Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology (COFTOG). The group determined that a needs assessment survey would best outline and direct the goals and objectives of the new group.

Objective: Survey the fellowship directors of OB/GYN based fellowships as a basis for the new Committee on Fellowship Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Methods: A survey was designed; 5 demographic questions and 15 survey questions. The survey was entered into Survey Monkey. Contacts were identified gynecology oncology, maternal fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, female pelvic medicine and reproductive surgery, family planning, minimally invasive surgery, breast, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, genetics, and women’s health. The survey was sent to the contact lists. For specific fellowships, the national organization requested the survey for approval and subsequently, the organization sent it out to fellowship directors. The results were collected anonymously by Survey Monkey. The results were compiled and analyzed. The project was determined to be IRB exempt.

Results: There were 85 completed surveys from an estimated 250 possible responses; 34% response rate.. Thirty nine percent were MFM directors and 10-17% of surveys completed by family practice, FPMRS, REI and Gyn Onc. A national committee focused on fellowships was desired by 66% of respondents. 11% had formal training to be a fellowship director with twenty percent having served as a clerkship or residency program directors previously. 37% had participated in a faculty development course to help in their role as fellowship director. Sixty four percent thought a fellowship director school would be helpful. When asked about a central repository for evaluation, curricula, policies and organization, 68-70% responded in the affirmative. Specifically, directors asked for a national group to help with requirements from and reporting for national organizations (ABOG and ACGME), resolution of common problems, mental health, evaluation, training objectives and competencies. Two respondents wrote: "Have been looking to APGO for a long time to pick up the mantel. Have attended these meetings to pick up whatever points I could". "An APGO based organization may be able to provide some benchmarks to judge your program by, such as didactic schedules, curriculum, faculty supervision, etc."

Conclusion: Fellowship directors welcome APGO’s involvement and support in the form of COFTOG to provide support through faculty development and consolidation of resources for general use to improve the education of fellows.