How to do well on Ob/Gyn

Ob/Gyn, as a medical school rotation, incorporates a little bit of everything. There is a fair amount of medicine and procedures as seen in the various practice settings: clinic, triage, delivery rooms, and the operating room. It is, as well, a very polarizing rotation and you may find, even on the first day, whether or not you will love or hate it. 

Tips to doing well on your Ob/Gyn rotation

Keep your pockets full

Have some ultrasound gel packets/lube, culture swabs, and a penlight in your white coat pockets at all times.  In triage, take note of where the ultrasound machine is stored, where used speculums go, where towels and gowns are stored, and 

Introduce yourself

For any delivery that you will be assisting with, introduce yourself to the to-be mother well prior to the delivery as well as her family. Check in every so often to see how they're doing and how their labor is progressing. As the delivery time approaches, gown and glove up and be at bedside before the resident or attending are there so that you are already in position to assist/be there for the delivery. Usually, if you demonstrate (as such) that you are prepared, you will likely be able to carry through with the delivery. 

Know the instruments

You will likely be seeing a good number of C-sections. Carefully note which instruments are needed at which point in the surgery so that you know when to ask for the bladder blade, the prolene, the lap sponges, etc. Learn how long or short to cut the uterus sutures, the abdominal sutures, etc. 

Know the steps

As with any procedural specialty, read up the night before on relevant pelvic anatomy for the next day's cases. Know the basic steps of the procedure that you'll be in the following day (especially relevant for gyn cases as these are normally scheduled) which you can find on Medscape or by searching the procedure name + "steps" + PDF. Protip: When you are operating or retracting near the vagina, make sure to switch gloves if you are changing to the abdomen. 

Learn to tie

Take some time to learn and finesse your knot tying skills.

Help out

Things you can help with in the OR: Help move the table onto the operating room table, take the bed out of the room, help put the SCDs on, bring a warm blanket for the patient at the beginning of the case as well as at the end of a case (a really nice touch), help tuck the patient.