Education Programs
The Department of Women’s Health reflects Dell Medical School’s mission to educate leaders who transform health care and redesign the academic health environment. Core to this mission is the development and implementation of innovative educational programs.
The department’s programs ensure that Dell Med graduates have the skills, knowledge and professional attitudes to provide care in any clinical setting. The ultimate goal is to prepare medical students, residents and fellows as leaders who use a value-based approach to deliver equitable, high-quality, person-centered care for a diverse population of women. As associate chair of education, Emily Vinas, Ed.D., leads this work.
Undergraduate Medical Education
Women’s Health Clerkship
Second-year medical students spend eight weeks learning how to care for women as part of the Women’s Health team. Students rotate through clinical settings that include:
- Labor and Delivery
- Triage
- High-Risk Obstetrics
- Benign Gynecologic Surgery
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
- Outpatient Clinics
In addition, the rotation includes a longitudinal preceptorship where each student is paired with a faculty preceptor who serves as an advisor throughout the clerkship.
Alison Brooks, M.D., serves as clerkship director and Rita Tsai, M.D., is the assistant clerkship director.
Acting Internships & Electives
Women’s Health offers four-week acting internships and electives in:
- Labor and Delivery
- High-Risk Obstetrics
- Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
- Gynecologic Oncology
These learning opportunities allow students to take a deeper dive into a specific area of interest as they prepare for obstetrics and gynecology residency training. Dell Medical School fourth-year students considering a career in women’s health are encouraged to complete at least one acting internship or elective within the department.
Visiting Students
Fourth-year students from Liaison Committee on Medical Education- or American Osteopathic Association-accredited medical schools may apply to complete a visiting rotation in one of our acting internships or electives. Applications are processed through VSLO, the Association of American Medical Colleges Visiting Student Learning Opportunities.
Graduate Medical Education
Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Program
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency program is a fully accredited, four-year training program that prepares trainees for a career as a specialist in general obstetrics and gynecology or for subspecialty fellowship training.
Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program
The Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship is fully accredited to provide fellows with advanced training in the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of pelvic floor disorders.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
The fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine aims to provide advanced training to the physician-scientist in the medical, surgical, obstetrical, fetal and genetic complications of pregnancy.
Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship Program
The two-year Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship provides advanced training for the medical and surgical management of gynecologic disorders and extensive experience in laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. It is accredited by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists and leads to a board-approved focused practice designation for gynecologic surgeons.
Faculty Education
The Department of Women’s Health actively encourages life-long learning for all faculty members. A unique approach to faculty development combines traditional, large-group learning activities with individualized coaching strategies aimed to improve teaching skills.
Continuing Medical Education
The bi-weekly Women’s Health Grand Rounds series reinforces and expands knowledge of common and uncommon clinical problems facing OB/Gyn specialists and subspecialists. A quality improvement curriculum, Best Clinical Practices Forum, allows faculty and residents to assess current practice patterns, explore and integrate new evidence-based practices to improve the quality, safety, value or equity of care, and review patient outcomes resulting from subsequent changes in practice.
Faculty Development
The department hosts quarterly faculty development sessions to enhance teaching skills. In addition, a formal Peer Observation and Proctoring program led by Zachary Chipman, M.D., provides the opportunity for personalized, goal-directed professional development to enhance teaching and clinical skills.
Faculty may also apply to participate in Dell Med’s continuing professional development courses including the Fellowship in Medical Education, focused on educational leadership and scholarship; From Great Ideas to Clear Results, an immersive research curriculum; and Extraordinary Learning and Teaching in the Clinical Setting, designed to enhance clinical teaching skills.