« Back to Search
Expanding Family Planning Training to Medical Students: Scope and Impact
Purpose: To determine the scope of medical student education in family planning and abortion at institutions providing routine family planning training for residents.
Background: The Ryan Program (RP) provides support to ob-gyn residency programs to establish formal, opt-out rotations in family planning and abortion.
Methods: Program directors complete annual web-based surveys to assess program status as part of our evaluation protocol. Surveys include questions regarding family planning training as well as the integration of medical students into training.
Results: In 2018-2019, 78 RP directors submitted annual surveys (94%). Eighty-two percent reported that medical students rotate through their clinical site(s). Of those who reported medical student involvement, the majority of students participated in family planning training in their third (83%) and fourth years (91%). Most medical student rotations were elective (68%), and 32% were a routine part of medical student training. Nearly three quarters reported that medical students rotated as part of an ob-gyn clerkship (74%), 64% as an elective rotation, 51% as a sub-internship, 27% as part of pre-clinical experience, and 4% through externships. They gained significant clinical experience during training: medical students did an average of 12 pelvic examinations/ pap smears, 12 contraceptive counseling sessions and 9 abortion counseling sessions on the rotation.
Discussions: While RPs focus on resident education, integrated training also enhances medical student education through clerkship and elective rotations. Institutions provide opportunities for students to learn about contraception and uterine evacuation methods, including pelvic exams, pap smears, and patient counseling; thus increasing medical student exposure to general gynecology and family planning.
Topics:
CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2021, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Osteopathic Faculty, Residency Director, Residency Coordinator, Medical Knowledge, Practice-Based Learning & Improvement, GME, UME, Contraception or Family Planning,
