OB/GYN

Formal sub-specialties include Gynecological Oncology, Reproductive Endocrinology & Fertility, Materna Fetal Medicine, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (urogynecology).  Additional training fellowships can also be done in and Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Adolescent Gynecology, and Menopausal and Geriatric Gynecology.

Qualities recognized as important to OB/GYN include:

•    Empathic - good bedside manner, professional, good listener, respectful and caring for patients
•    Compassionate, but emotionally capable and strong to handle bad news
•    Team player - effective communicator, works well with professional staff
•    Flexible - can’t predicts when deliveries occur
•    Adaptable -  to changing daily circumstances
•    Manually dexterous - works well with their hands – good fine motor skills to become surgically adept
•    Curious – desires research and publications – particularly if fellowship bound or an academic position is desired.
 

Students are encouraged to directly email faculty with whom they would like to work.

Additionally, students may want to pursue research opportunities through the DeBakey Scholars Program. This program offers medical students the opportunity to pursue and complete a longitudinal, structured, closely supervised research experience culminating in a capstone presentation prior to graduation. For more information, contact Dr. Derek Pociask. 

The Ob/Gyn Interest Group is an organization that is committed to the promotion of Obstetrics and Gynecology as a future career for Tulane Medical students. Our mission is to stimulate interest in Obstetrics and Gynecology- related health issues among medical students and, by our activities, promote awareness of these issues within the New Orleans community. These activities include sponsoring lunch-hour lectures by professionals in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology to facilitate interaction between interested students, Ob/Gyn faculty and residents, and general practitioners. Our goal is to establish a shadowing program to allow those students interested in Obstetrics and Gynecology the benefits of experience.

Dr. Gabriella Pridjian -- chair

Completing internal medicine and surgery clerkships will prepare students well for OB/GYN, although OB/GYN can be completed at any time in the year. Students interested in OB/GYN should take electives in areas that they may not have had a lot of exposure to in their clerkship. These include SICU/MICU electives, NICU electives and community health with a focus on women's health care.

Sample-T4-OBGY-Schedule.pdf

List of recommended elective topics:
MICU

SICU

NICU

Breast radiology

Dermatology

Rheumatology

Pathology

Adolescent gynecology

Pain management

Addiction care

Pyschiatry - focus on women's health, postpartum

One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do I know if I’m competitive for this specialty?” There are a lot of metrics that are provided by sources like the NRMP’s Charting Outcomes report that can help you gauge whether you are a competitive applicant, and help guide your choices of activities. 

The table below shows the 25^th percentile, the median and the 75^th percentile for a number of the more regularly used metrics to gauge competitiveness. It’s important for you to understand what these numbers represent, and why they may be different from the averages you might see elsewhere.

• The 25^th percentile represents the lower range of “normal” for a successful applicant in this specialty.
• The median represents an average for successful applicants in this specialty.
• The 75^th percentile represents the higher range of “normal” for a successful applicant in this specialty.

Medical students are usually over-achievers, who have exceeded expectations throughout their educational years. However, it’s important to realize that overachievement is not always a good thing when it comes to match. Instead, you should aim for “fit.” This means that you should fall somewhere between the 25^th and 75^th percentile on these metrics. Below the 25^th percentile, and you have a relatively low chance of match (25% chance, to be specific). Above the 75^th percentile, and you also have a lower chance of matching (again, 25% chance), as program directors are typically looking for candidates who “fit” their profiles more so than those who exceed those profiles.

Between the 25^th and 75^th percentiles is the sweet spot. This range spans 50% of successful applicants, with only 25% of successful applicants falling above the 75^th percentile and 25% of successful applicants falling below the 25th percentile. The closer you fall to the median (i.e., the 50^th percentile), the better! This doesn’t mean you’re average, but rather that you are fitting the demands of this specialty!

A note about medians vs. means as a measure of “average”: We use medians to determine competitiveness rather than means for a simple reason. Medians are not as warped as means by outliers, or those successful candidates who fall very much outside the average on a particular measure. You may have heard that the “average” Step 2 score or number of publications for a specialty are incredibly high (or low), and you may wonder how it’s even possible to hit this “average.” These unrealistic “averages” are typically means that have been influenced by just a very small number of people who have incredibly high (or low) scores or numbers of publications, and often those high numbers of publications in particular, are the result of having earned a research Ph.D. or having spent years in a research career! This is NOT the expectation, but rather an exception!

When deciding upon your top programs and where to apply, take into consideration your competitiveness based on Step scores and current academic performance. Take advantage of career advisors to guide you in your pursuit of that perfect residency to improve your chances of matching. Only applying to Louisiana or the Gulf South may not be your best option.

There is no need for away rotations, but if you desire matching in a specific program or area of the country, they can be helpful.

Be honest and genuine in your personal statement. Please have someone review it and give you feedback.

Acting Internships (AI) in OB/Gyn are encouraged but not required for applying in the field. Students usually participate in the AI to solidify their decision to go into the field or to obtain a LOR. However, if the relationship with the attending is well established, completing the AI for LOR purposes is not necessary. Completing the AI in the Spring is reasonable and may be beneficial as it is closer to starting your internship. 

A letter of recommendation (LOR) will be provided by the OB/Gyn Department Chair, who will assume you successfully completed all of your core clerkships. There's no requirement to have to complete your AI prior to receiving a LOR.

Peak interview months are November and December.

OB/Gyn does not require a research elective, however research experience and publications are looked upon favorably. Additionally, in preparation for your OB/Gyn residency training, the following elective topics are considered intellectually stimulating and beneficial to your future practice.  

List of recommended elective topics:
MICU

SICU

NICU

Breast radiology

Dermatology

Rheumatology

Pathology

Adolescent gynecology

Pain management

Addiction care

Pyschiatry - focus on women's health, postpartum

Perform well in all of your clerkships with emphasis on internal medicine and surgery as a marker of how you will excel in OB/GYN.

Standardized tests are part of the medical profession and help predict who will pass their boards; take them seriously and do your best.

See "Special Considerations When Applying for Residency" for hints about scheduling the 4th year. 

AAMC Careers in Medicine

NRMP's Charting Outcomes in the Match 2026

NRMP's Program Director Survey 2024

APGO

ACOG

Tulane’s OB-GYN Department

Dr. Katrina D’Aquin can put you in touch with potential mentors.