Obstetrics & Women’s Health Fellowship 

Program goals & information

  • To equip FM trained physicians with women’s health experience to adequately care for women during their pregnancy and delivery. 

  • To train FM physicians to perform operative vaginal delivery and cesarean section deliveries. 

  • To train FM physicians to care for pregnant women during higher risk pregnancies. 

  • To train FM physicians in colposcopy, LEEP, IUD/Nexplanon insertions and removals as needed to practice independently


Program Location

Cahaba Medical Care Clinics

RURAL: Bibb/Perry County (Centreville, Woodstock, Marion locations)

URBAN: Jefferson County (Bessemer, West End, Ensley, Fairfield locations)

Hospitals

BIBB COUNTY: Bibb Medical Center

JEFFERSON COUNTY: UAB Medical West, Princeton Baptist Medical Center

Experience 

  • Participate in, and eventually run, prenatal clinics at various locations

  • Become proficient in obstetrical US, including transvaginal studies, by working with experienced ultrasonographers in busy practice at various locations

  • Manage obstetrical triage including labor rule out, decreased fetal movement, possible rupture of membranes, and pregnancy loss

  • Manage inductions of labor, spontaneous labor, preterm labor, PPROM, shoulder dystocia

  • Perform operative vaginal deliveries and cesarean sections assisted by boarded FM-OB or ObGyn.

  • Manage complications of pregnancy including gestational DM, preeclampsia, cholestasis

  • Manage high risk obstetrical patients including those with pregestational DM, chronic HTN, multiple gestation, thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders.

  • Maintain a private panel of family medicine patients throughout fellowship. If fellowship lasts longer than a year, as proficiency develops, can decrease US days and increase personal clinic days.

  • Participate in weekly book club that incorporates ACOG practice bulletins and chapters in Gabbe’s “Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies”

Procedures:

Women’s Health procedures: Colposcopy, LEEP, IUD insertion and removal, Nexplanon insertion and removal, endometrial biopsy

Obstetrical Procedures: Operative vaginal deliveries, Cesarean section deliveries (with or without tubal ligations), Ultrasounds

Other: Circumcision


Fellow B has the opposite schedule (so when Fellow A is Week 1, Fellow B is Week 2 and then they switch). Week A is classically considered the “Jefferson County Week” so call Monday-Thursday is for deliveries in Jefferson County. Week B is “Bibb County Week” and call is Monday-Thursday for deliveries at Bibb Medical Center. Weekend call (Friday-Sunday) is for the entire organization and is every other weekend. 

 

Faculty