Arrowhead Riverside OB/GYN Physician Assistant Residency Program

1. To provide safe, effective, compassionate care to women at all stages  

    of life.

2. To provide postgraduate training for the Physician Assistant in  

     women’s health, including preventive care, obstetrics, and gynecology.

3. To provide exposure to and experience in the management of labor,

    delivery (both vaginal and cesarean), and the postpartum course.

4. To provide exposure to and experience in surgical assisting and the

    care of gynecologic inpatients.

5. To provide exposure to and experience in common outpatient

     procedures.


DIDACTIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

Please see the schedule of presentations for individual session objectives. Overall objectives of the didactic curriculum include:

1. To understand normal female anatomy throughout the lifespan.

2. To understand normal female reproductive physiology and  

    changes through out the lifespan, including those associated with

3. To understand the preventive health care needs of women at various

     life stages, including screening and contraception.

4. To be familiar with the diagnosis, work-up, and management of

    common gynecologic complaints, such as abnormal uterine bleeding,  

5. To be familiar with the content of prenatal care, including assessment

    of risk for complications and possible need for referral or consultation,

6. To understand the process of labor and delivery, including indications  

    for operative delivery and common complications of labor, delivery,

    and the puerperium.

7. To understand the principles of pre-operative assessment and

    evaluation.

8. To understand the principles of gynecologic surgery, including

     indications for procedures, principles of asepsis, wound healing, tissue

     handling, and choice of incisions and sutures, principles of laparoscopy

     and hysteroscopy, and post-operative care.

9. To understand the management of common ob-gyn emergencies (such

    as spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory

    disease, etc).

10. To understand the principles of respectful, compassionate care for

      women, including communication skills and psychosocial assessment

      skills.

11. To understand the principles of evidence-based medicine and critical

      review of the literature.

CLINICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To develop skill in history-taking, physical examination, laboratory

    assessment, and provision of routine health care to women at all stages

    of life.

 

2. To develop skill in the management of common gynecologic

     complaints.

3. To know when common office procedures are indicated, and to

    develop skill in performing them, including endometrial biopsy, vulvar

    biopsy, colposcopy and cervical biopsy, Word catheter placement,

    pessary fitting, and IUD insertion.

4. To have exposure to and experience in the work-up and

    management of complicated gynecologic conditions such as urinary       

    incontinence, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.

5. To develop skill in the provision of obstetrical care to low-risk  

    patients, with exposure to the needs and care of high-risk patients,  

    including prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care.

6. To develop limited ultrasonography skills, including assessment of

    Amniotic Fluid Index and fetal position checks.

7. To develop skill in the interpretation of fetal monitoring, including  

    assessment of non-stress tests and measurement of intrauterine

    pressure during labor.

8. Exposure to and experience in the conduct of normal vaginal delivery,

    including repair of first and second degree perineal lacerations.

9. To develop skill as a first assistant at cesarean section and postpartum

     tubal ligation.

10. To develop skill in the provision of postpartum care for both vaginal

       and cesarean deliveries.

11. To respond appropriately to obstetrical emergencies in the inpatient

       setting.

12. To develop skill as a surgical assistant for both open and endoscopic

      gynecologic procedures.

13. To develop skill in the performance of minor gynecologic procedures

       such as dilitation and curettage for incomplete abortion.

14. To develop skill in the management of postoperative patients.

 

15. To have exposure to and experience in the pre-operative evaluation

      and postoperative management of patients with complex conditions

      such as gynecologic malignancies.

16. To develop skill in the management of common obstetrical and

      gynecologic conditions which present to the Emergency Department

     (incomplete abortion, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc).

17. To have exposure to and experience in the interpretation of

      gynecologic ultrasound.

18. To develop interpersonal skills and expertise in communication with

       patients and coworkers.

19. To develop a sense of professional identity and professionalism,

      including an understanding of ethical issues in women’s health.

20. To develop knowledge of community resources available to patients

       as well as the systems of care in which they are currently served.

21. To practice evidence-based medicine whenever possible.

22. To understand the limitations of his/her skills, and to appropriately

      use consultants and other resources.