Beth Israel Medical Center's Ob/Gyn Residency Program


Arnold Friedman, MD	Laura MacIsaac, MD, MPH	Adam Buckley, MD
Chairman	Program Residency Director	Associate Residency
		Program Director

The faculty and staff of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Medical Center welcome your interest in our residency training program. The goal of our department is to train physicians who can function as both primary care physicians and general obstetricians-gynecologists for women. We have designed a residency program that we hope will maximize the potential of each resident and will prepare them for general practice or to enter subspecialty fellowship programs.

Beth Israel's residency program is flexible enough to meet the ever-changing nature of our specialty. As University Hospital and Manhattan Campus for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, we are able to combine the benefits of a major academic/research center with the intimacy of a community hospital. The program provides a strong base in general obstetrics and gynecology as well as significant experience in the subspecialty fields of gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology, pelvic surgery, and family planning. Residents graduating from our program are competitive applicants to Obstetric and Gynecology subspecialty fellowships as well as into the private or faculty practice groups.

The goal of the residency program is to train obstetrician-gynecologists who are capable of providing care to women of all ages and in all situations. Graduates will be experienced in managing a broad range of preventive health issues, including family planning, cancer screenings and geriatric care, family planning as well as a diverse number of health concerns such as depression, HIV infection, and hypertension. At the same time, residents will obtain skills in the specialized problems of pregnancy and of reproductive medicine and surgery. Approximately 80 percent have gone on to practice general obstetrics and gynecology, while the remainder has taken subspecialty fellowships or advanced degrees.

The obstetrics and gynecology residency training program offers a comprehensive curriculum, emphasizing outpatient and inpatient experience, formal teaching, research opportunities and self-learning activities.

The key to the resident's outpatient experience is the continuity clinic, located in Beth Israel's Phillips Ambulatory Care Center (PACC). PACC houses a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgicenter as well as the majority of the Medical Center's outpatient offices. Each resident spends 10 percent of his or her time (one full day or two half days a week) in continuity clinics. During the first year of the residency program, each resident is assigned a panel of patients. New patients are added to the panel as needed, and every effort is made to provide continuity of care for patients in the panel. Residents see patients for both routine and high-risk obstetrical care, general medical problems and gynecologic concerns, as well as ongoing preventative care. In addition, residents see patients with infertility problems, complicated menopause, urogynecologic issues and all aspects of family planning. Residents attend all of their continuity sessions except when they are rotating through the surgical intensive care unit during their second year and during the night float rotations throughout the four years.

Patients from the continuity clinics provide a significant portion of the resident’s inpatient experience in labor and delivery and in the operating room. Many of the obstetric and gynecologic admissions are the private patients of the numerous voluntary physicians in the department. As a result, residents are exposed to a large, demographically varied group of patients and participate in the management of a broad, well-balanced spectrum of conditions in obstetrics and gynecology.

Each year of residency is divided into 12 four week blocks. Residents rotate through various services as follows:

First-year residents spend six months on obstetrics (four day blocks and two night blocks). Three months are devoted to gynecology. One block is spent training in ultrasound in the antepartum testing unit. Another block is spent in the surgical intensive care unit. This rotation equips the house officer to manage all but the most difficult inpatient problems. During the rotations in obstetrics and gynecology, emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of diagnosis and management.

Introduction to operative obstetrics is under the guidance of the attending staff. All house officers participate in surgery, inpatient care and outpatient management and receive instruction in endocrinology, genetics, infertility, family planning, cancer detection and treatment, newborn management, ultrasound and anesthesiology.

PGY-1
Rotations	Duration	Director
OB Days	16 Weeks	Bernasko
Ultrasound	4 Weeks	Bernasko
Gynecology	12 Weeks	Friedman/Wang
SICU	4 Weeks	McMillen
Nights	12 Weeks	Faculty
Vacation	4 Weeks

Second-year residents spend 16 weeks (4 four week blocks) on gynecology. Two and a half blocks are spent in obstetrics (days) and two blocks are spent on obstetrics (nights). Residents are also assigned to 1.5 blocks on the family planning rotation. During the gynecology rotation residents spend one half day a week in continuity clinic, one day a week in colposcopy clinic, and one day a week performing outpatient surgery in the surgicenter.

The second-year resident becomes adept at management of common obstetric problems and preoperative care and also learns basic operative skills. Thus, the second-year resident develops the conceptual and technical skills necessary to manage inpatient pulmonary, cardiac and gastrointestinal illness. The second-year resident chooses a research project which is completed during the third year and fourth year and presented in the fourth year with a research prize.

PGY-2
Rotations	Duration	Director
OB Days	10 Weeks	Bernasko
Gynecology	16 Weeks	Bernasko
GYN Oncology	8 Weeks	Koulos
Family Planning	6 Weeks	MacIsaac
Nights	8 Weeks	Faculty
Vacation	4 Weeks

The third-year resident spends two and a half blocks in gynecology at Beth Israel. There are two and a half blocks spent each on obstetrics (days) and on the night team, during which the resident has primary responsibility for gynecology but also participates in obstetric management. They spend another block on the reproductive endocrinology service and, two and a half blocks on maternal fetal medicine. During the maternal-fetal medicine rotation, residents achieve the knowledge base and ultrasound skills needed to practice superior obstetrics. Third-year residents serve as consultants to Beth Israel's emergency medicine department.

By the end of the third year, residents are able to manage all outpatient problems not requiring specialty consultation. They also are able to perform all uncomplicated gynecologic and obstetric operations.

PGY-3
Rotations	Duration	Director
OB Days	10 Weeks	Bernasko
MFM/USG	10 Weeks	Bernasko
Gynecology	10 Weeks	Friedman/Wang
REI	4 Weeks	Chang
Family Planning	4 Weeks	MacIsaac
Nights	10 Weeks	Faculty
Vacation	4 Weeks

The chief resident has the opportunity to integrate and consolidate his or her knowledge and skills. In the fourth year, there are ten weeks of obstetrics, ten weeks of night team, ten weeks of gynecologic oncology and four blocks of gynecology. The obstetric chief resident also follows patients in the high-risk obstetric clinic. The chief resident assumes major responsibility for direction of the obstetrical and gynecological services, as well as for direction of his or her outpatient team. This resident, under the supervision of the faculty attending, has primary responsibility for the care of service patients. Responsibilities include substantial teaching of medical students and junior residents.

PGY-4
Rotations	Duration	Director
OB Days	10 Weeks	Stein/Rothenberg
Gynecology	10 Weeks	Friedman/Wang
GYN Oncology	10 Weeks	Koulos
Pelvic Floor	8 Weeks	Fantl, Friedman
Nights	10 Weeks	Faculty
Vacation	4 Weeks

Each week, five hours are set aside for lectures and case conferences. The academic morning begins with Grand Rounds speakers invited from across the country. Monthly Departmental statistics are presented by the ob and gyn chief residents. Resident didactic time follows with two lectures given by local BIMC and AECOM faculty. Chairman’s Rounds take place every Thursday morning before the O.R. begins. In addition, there are daily board rounds in obstetrics and daily floor rounds in gynecology. It is expected to pass the USMLE Step-2 to start second year of residency training and All residents take the annual CREOG in-service examination. Each resident is required to finish a research project before the completion of the residency training program and is expected to participate in the education of resident colleagues and medical students.

Third-year medical students from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine complete their basic rotation in Beth Israel's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Residents at all levels are expected to play a major role in their education. Various electives (sub internships) are offered for fourth-year medical students, including general obstetrics and gynecology, maternal and fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Applying to the Gyn/Ob Residency Program at Beth Israel Medical Center, The Manhattan Teaching Campus of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
2011-2012 Application Process and Selection Criteria.

• The Application deadline is November 1, 2011
• Applicants must submit an ERAS Application and be registered to participate in the Match through NRMP
• We do not mail application packets or program brochures
• US Medical School Graduates: submit the ERAS application materials to your medical school Dean's Office
• Foreign Medical School Graduates: submit your application materials to the ECFMG

SELECTION CRITERIA:
All applications received through ERAS will be reviewed.. The decision to invite an applicant for a required interview will be based on a review of the following factors in combination:

• Demonstrated commitment to the field.
• Results of behavioral interviewing during the interview days
• Medical School and reputation.
• USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (if available) scores- passing scores are required.
• Elections to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical School Honor Society, if applicable.
• Medical School transcript.
• Strength of Dean's Letter and three letters of recommendation
• Research activities.

The interview process will consist of:
• Our interview dates: November 16, December 7, December 21, January 11
• Our interview spots are very limited and they are filled quickly. We maintain waiting lists and will do our best to offer an interview if a space becomes available.
• We offer interviews on a rolling basis. If you receive an invitation, please rsvp as soon as possible.
• A detailed program review conducted by the Program Director.
• Interviews with two faculty members and one resident and a brief meeting with the Program
Director and the Chair.
• A facility tour.
• Luncheon with resident group.
• An informal social gathering the NIGHT BEFORE the interviews at the home of one of our residents.

PLEASE NOTE:
• We do not have minimum USMLE scores, but we require passing scores.
• We require U.S. clinical experience for FMGs.
• WE ACCEPT ONLY J-1 VISAS. We do not accept H1B visas.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit materials as early as possible. Only ERAS applications will be considered. Please do not submit applications via fax, mail, or email.
• We will have 4 interns in the 2012 class.
• The Department participates in the NRMP. Applicants are required to be registered with both the NRMP and ERAS in order to participate in the Match. Please also be sure to indicate on your ERAS application that you are registered with NRMP.
• We require, in addition to the MSPE (Dean's Letter), THREE letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the OB/GYN Chair. You may submit four letters if you wish.

Please contact our residency coordinator, Ms. Cynthia Bastien, with any questions.

To learn more about the requirements and procedures necessary to apply for Beth Israel Medical Center residency opportunities please click here. We accept applications from allopathic and osteopathic programs submitted through ERAS only. We have no absolute cut offs for grades or scores, but seek to fill our program with the highest quality students. The institution sponsors J-1 and H-1B visas. Inquiries concerning the philosophy, form or content of the program are welcome and should be forwarded to:

Cynthia Bastien
Residency Coordinator
Beth Israel Medical Center
350 East 17th Street, Ste. 9BH23
New York, NY 10003
T: (212) 420-4548
F: (212) 420-2980 (Fax)
E-Mail: CBastien@chpnet.org