APGO

Courtney S. Legum-Wenk, DO

James J. Burke, II, MD

Objective: To investigate the influence of the gynecologic oncology rotation on personal health care practices and views of preventive health among female obstetrics and gynecology residents.

Methods: From February 2010 to July 2010, a questionnaire was distributed to female residents of 244 ACGME accredited OB/GYN residency programs by an anonymous online survey link provided to the program directors and coordinators. The IRB approved questionnaire consisted of 30 questions, querying basic demographic information, personal health practices, personal and family cancer history, views about preventive measures and surveillance for gynecological malignancies. Statistical analysis of responses consisted of Chi-square statistics, with significant associations being a p-value less than 0.05.

Results: While the survey was open, 699 visits (response rate of 18.2%) to the website occurred, resulting in 554 surveys being fully completed. Most respondents were 35 years of age or less (range 25-50 years), with a similar number of respondents from each year of residency. Two thirds of the respondents (66%) came from residency programs considered university based programs. Regardless of whether the residency was university or community based, respondents reported that the gynecologic oncology curriculum consisted of 23 weeks (mean 22.8 weeks) during the four year residency. Fifty-two percent of the residents do not have a primary care physician and 40% did not regularly visit an OB/GYN. Although 64% of the respondents “strongly” believe that annual pap smear testing is important and 73.5% “strongly” believe in the administration of HPV vaccination, 23% of residents in the 25-35 age group do not undergo routine pap smears even though 86.9% did so prior to residency. All respondents would “strongly” consider prophylactic hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy, but less than half (47%) would undergo BRCA testing. As residents experienced more weeks of the GYN/ONC curriculum, their interest in pursing a gynecologic oncology fellowship decreased (p< 0.012). However, those respondents wishing to pursue a gynecologic oncology fellowship were greatest among residents from a combined residency program.

Conclusions: Despite type of residency training, obstetrics and gynecology residents are receiving the same amount of exposure to the gynecology oncology rotation throughout their education. Although this standard exists, our residents are less interested in a future in gynecology oncology, pap smear compliance decreases, and establishment of a primary care provider is lacking during residency. Further analysis of a second distribution of the survey, which is currently in progress, hopes to provide even more insight into OB/GYN residency education and the effects of the gynecology oncology rotation on this education.