Purpose: To describe the impact of the Ryan Residency Training Program in Abortion and Family Planning (RP) on resident and faculty research about abortion, contraception, and pregnancy loss.
Background: The RP supports ob-gyn residencies to integrate abortion training. Since 1999, 101 Ryan programs have been established in the US and Canada.
Methods: In 2019, we surveyed residency program directors (RPDs) and department chairs about resident and faculty research in family planning, and residents about their involvement in research projects.
Results: RPDs from 22 programs (95.7%), 21 (91.3%) chairs, and 154 (82%) residents completed surveys. The majority (83%) of RPDs report at least one resident completing research projects on abortion, contraception, and/or pregnancy loss, with an average of 32.3% of residents (range 10-100%). Half (55%) said that the RP training has increased research interest in abortion and 68% said it has increased research interest in contraception. Of residents who had decided their research project topic, 20% are doing projects on family planning topics.
Eight chairs (38%) reported that a designated RP in the department helped increase faculty interest in doing research on abortion and 16 (76%) on contraception. Nine RPDs (41%) and eight chairs (39%) said the RP increased opportunities for research funding. RPDs, chairs, and residents expressed interest in additional funding and/or opportunities for research in family planning topics.
Discussions: Residents are pursuing family planning topics in their research, and leadership at RPs describe that interest and engagement in research on family planning topics has increased as a result of integrating RP family planning training.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2021, Resident, Faculty, Osteopathic Faculty, Residency Director, Residency Coordinator, Medical Knowledge, GME, CME, Independent Study, Public Health, Contraception or Family Planning,
Jema Turk, PhD, MA, MPA, University of California San Francisco; Katheryn Koenemann; Uta Landy, PhD; Jody Steinauer, MD, PhD
