Obstetrics and Gynecology

Does research experience need to be in the specialty itself?

No. Research helps to show that you understand the process of scientific inquiry and can take a project from inception to completion. If you choose to do research, be certain you have something to show for it.

What M3/M4 electives would you recommend to a student who is interested in pursuing your specialty?
M3 Electives: anything in our specialty that can help you answer whether this is the field for you. The M3 rotation does a good job of exposing you to all of the parts, but sometimes coming back for a little more concentration in one can help.

M4 Electives: the perinatal medicine and gynecologic surgery electives are the most popular. Outside our specialty we encourage a broad range of experiences – surgery, intensive care unit work, emergency medicine, ambulatory medicine, pediatrics, infectious disease, radiology, anesthesiology, surgical subspecialties, etc.

Does your specialty recommend doing away rotations?
No. Do them only if it will help you decide whether a certain place would be a good one for you to train.

If your specialty recommends doing away rotations, how many away rotations do you recommend?
N/A

If away rotations are necessary, when should they be completed?
N/A

Which month/s are interviews most concentrated?
October through January

Does your specialty recommend that all letters of recommendation be written by members of your specialty?
No, but non-specialty letters should come from people who really have a personal relationship with you and can speak to more than a regurgitated form of your CV. Furthermore, non-specialty letters should not make up the majority of your letters.

If letters can come from other disciplines, do you have a recommendation as to which disciplines are more highly valued?
If you were on the fence about another specialty, a letter from that specialty attesting to your achievements is helpful, but not necessary.

Does the academic rank of the letter writer matter?
Not as much as their ability to speak to you as a person. If everything else is equal, having experienced names may give you some recognition, but that is very hard to predict.

How competitive are the residency programs in this specialty?
Extremely. Fewer than five residency positions go unfilled each year, and there are hundreds of applicants who do not match each year. Approximately 1200 positions are offered each year nationwide. All of that said, however, Brody has an excellent track record of matching students into this specialty each year.

How important are each of the following for admission to a competitive program in your specialty?
This specialty has made nationwide, intentional efforts into making the application process a more holistic one. There are a number of tools now available to prospective applicants in OB/GYN that you should evaluate, especially including the Alignment Check Index https://freida.ama-assn.org/residency-alignment. The matrix below is a qualitative reflection of what most programs would say, but there is considerable variation across the country. The Alignment Check Index allows you to specify how you would appreciate being evaluated, and then gives you a list of programs who have self-reported an evaluation method that aligns with your preferences. The programs do not have access to the information that you provide – it is a tool for applicant benefit only.