The Ultimate Guide to Researching OB GYN Residency Programs

Understanding What Matters Most in OB GYN Residency Programs

Before diving into how to research residency programs, you need a clear sense of what you’re actually looking for. OB GYN training varies widely between institutions, and the “best” program on paper may not be the best fit for you.

Core dimensions to evaluate

When thinking about your program research strategy for OB GYN, consider these major domains:

1. Clinical Volume and Case Mix

   • Obstetrics:
     • Annual deliveries (e.g., 2,000 vs. 6,000+ per year)
     • High‑risk vs. low‑risk OB exposure
     • Level of NICU (Level III/IV NICUs usually mean more complex perinatal care)
   • Gynecology:
     • Breadth of benign GYN, minimally invasive surgery, urogynecology, REI, GYN oncology
     • Surgical case volume and resident autonomy in the OR
   • Night float vs. traditional 24‑hour calls and how that affects continuity

2. Surgical Training and Autonomy

   • Are residents primary surgeons on:
     • Cesarean sections
     • Laparoscopic hysterectomies
     • Laparoscopic and robotic procedures
     • Vaginal deliveries and operative vaginal deliveries (forceps, vacuum)?
   • Is there a robotics curriculum and console time for residents?
   • Does the program track surgical numbers and share them with residents?

3. Breadth of Subspecialty Exposure

   • Availability and strength of:
     • Maternal–fetal medicine (MFM)
     • Gynecologic oncology
     • Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI)
     • Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery / urogynecology
   • Balance between general OB/GYN and subspecialty rotations
   • Presence of fellowships and their impact (can be a positive or negative depending on your goals)

4. Academic vs Community Orientation

   • Academic centers:
     • Strong research infrastructure, subspecialty depth
     • Possibly more fellows; sometimes less early autonomy
   • Community programs:
     • Often high-volume, hands-on experience
     • May have fewer subspecialty services but excellent “real-world” training
   • Hybrid models combining both environments

5. Educational Culture and Support

   • Quality of didactics: weekly protected time, simulation, multidisciplinary conferences
   • Board preparation and pass rates
   • Mentorship: formal advising, research mentorship, career guidance
   • Wellness initiatives, schedule flexibility, attitudes toward resident feedback

6. Career Outcomes

   • Fellowship match record (MFM, Gyn Onc, REI, UroGyn, minimally invasive surgery)
   • Graduates entering general practice, hospitalist roles, academic positions
   • Geographic spread of alumni—do graduates end up where you’d like to work?

7. Location and Lifestyle

   • Cost of living, commute, public transportation
   • Support systems (family, friends, partners)
   • Call schedule, vacation time, parental leave policies
   • Safety and overall fit with your non-clinical life

Clarifying your values across these domains will help you evaluate programs more intentionally instead of being swayed by name recognition alone.

---

Building Your OB GYN Program List: A Stepwise Strategy

You’ll likely start with dozens—sometimes over a hundred—OB GYN programs. A thoughtful program research strategy helps you narrow this into a targeted, realistic list that matches your goals and competitiveness.

Step 1: Know your profile realistically

Before you research individual programs in depth, benchmark where you stand:

• Academic metrics: USMLE/COMLEX scores (if available), clerkship grades, class rank, AOA/Gold Humanism status
• OB GYN–specific signals:
  • Honors in OB GYN clerkship or sub‑I
  • Strong OB GYN letters of recommendation
  • Home program vs no home program
• Research and leadership:
  • OB GYN–related projects, QI, presentations, publications
  • Extracurriculars, advocacy work, leadership roles

Use this to sort programs into:

• “Reach” (slightly above your metrics)
• “Match”
• “Safety” (slightly below, where you’re likely competitive)

This doesn’t mean you can’t match at a reach program, but it informs how widely you should apply and where to invest the most time in deep research.

Step 2: Create an initial master list

Start broad, then filter:

• Use FREIDA, ACGME, and program websites to list:
  • All OB GYN residencies in your preferred geographic regions
  • A selection outside your preference for balance/safety
• Mark:
  • Programs aligned with your career goals (e.g., strong fellowship matching)
  • Locations where you’d be genuinely willing to live

At this stage, aim for breadth, not depth—just enough info to avoid clearly incompatible options (e.g., wrong visa status, location you absolutely won’t consider).

Step 3: Apply high-level filters

Use quick, objective filters to shrink your list before deep diving:

• Geography: Which regions are truly off the table?
• Program size:
  • Small (3–4 residents/year): closer-knit, but fewer co-residents and possibly more call
  • Larger (6–10 residents/year): broader peer group, more coverage, possibly more subspecialties
• Academic vs community: Which balance fits your interests and profile?
• Visa sponsorship, if relevant: J‑1 vs H‑1B, or none
• 4-year vs 3-year tracks (rare; most OB GYN are 4-year)

After this pass, you might narrow from 100+ programs to 60–80 for initial review, then further to 40–60 for actual applications depending on your competitiveness and risk tolerance.

---

How to Research Residency Programs Efficiently and Effectively

Now that you have a working list, it’s time to investigate each program more deeply. This is where many applicants feel overwhelmed; a methodical approach can help you stay organized and objective.

1. Start with official sources

Program websites

Program websites are your primary source for structured information. For each program, look for:

• Program overview
  • Mission statement and values
  • Patient populations served (urban underserved, suburban, rural, tertiary referral center)
• Curriculum
  • Rotation schedule by PGY year
  • Structure of OB, GYN, night float, electives
  • Exposure to MFM, Gyn Onc, REI, urogynecology
• Surgical training
  • Mention of simulation labs, robotics training, laparoscopic curricula
  • Any published case logs or expectations
• Didactics and conferences
  • Protected education time
  • Simulation, skills labs, morbidity & mortality conferences, grand rounds
• Faculty and leadership
  • Program director and associate PDs—backgrounds and interests
  • Number and types of faculty by subspecialty
• Fellowships
  • In-house fellowships can signal depth but also affect case distribution
• Benefits and policies
  • Salary, insurance, vacation, parental leave
  • Moonlighting policies (often PGY‑3/4 only, and not everywhere)

Actionable tip:
Create a standardized template (spreadsheet or note) for each program with sections for curriculum, strengths, questions, and concerns. This will help you compare across programs and track impressions as you research.

FREIDA, ACGME, and official databases

Use FREIDA and ACGME data to cross-check:

• Program size and accreditation status
• Average number of deliveries, case volumes (when available)
• Duty hour compliance and any citations
• Program type (university, university‑affiliated, community)

If a program has recent ACGME citations, look at what they were for and whether the program has addressed them transparently.

2. Use student-friendly platforms strategically

Several platforms aggregate opinions and experiences. They can be informative, but use them cautiously:

• Doximity Residency Navigator
  • Provides reputation rankings and resident-reported insight
  • Use as a trend indicator, not as an absolute ranking system
• AMA, specialty societies, and APGO resources
  • May list programs involved in teaching, research, and scholarly initiatives
• NRMP/Charting Outcomes
  • Offers statistics on match outcomes by specialty and applicant type
  • Helps you calibrate expectations and the breadth of applications

Avoid over-weighting anonymous online reviews or single negative anecdotes. Instead, look for patterns across multiple sources.

3. Deep-dive into curriculum and training environment

This is the heart of evaluating residency programs in OB GYN.

Key questions to ask yourself

As you review curriculum pages, try to answer:

• How much time is spent on:
  • Labor and delivery
  • General gynecology
  • Subspecialties (MFM, Gyn Onc, REI, UroGyn)
  • Ambulatory clinic vs inpatient
• When do residents:
  • Begin doing C‑sections as primary surgeon?
  • Perform major GYN surgery as primary?
  • Get exposure to complex surgeries (oncology, urogynecology)?
• How is call structured?
  • Night float vs 24‑hour call
  • Weekend expectations
  • In-house vs home call for subspecialties

Example:
Program A might emphasize a very strong inpatient OB experience early on, with heavy PGY‑1 night float and lots of deliveries. Program B might provide more balanced OB and GYN time from the start with earlier progression to the OR. Which prepares you better for the career you envision?

Case volumes and procedures

If explicit case numbers are not listed, you can infer some aspects from:

• Hospital delivery volume and NICU level
• Presence of trauma services and oncology referrals
• Whether residents rotate at multiple hospitals (e.g., county + academic center)

You want enough breadth and depth of exposure to feel competent as a generalist while also being competitive for a fellowship if that might be in your future.

4. Research culture, mentorship, and wellness

Many of the most important program qualities are less tangible and require careful sleuthing.

Signs of a supportive culture

Look for clues on the website and during virtual or in-person interactions:

• Resident bios that highlight diverse interests and backgrounds
• Resident testimonials that mention mentorship, support, and inclusion
• Evidence of:
  • Wellness initiatives (retreats, wellness curriculum)
  • DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) efforts
  • Resident leadership roles or committees

Ask current residents (at open houses or pre-interview sessions):

• “What changes have residents successfully advocated for?”
• “How does the program respond when residents are struggling—personally or academically?”
• “Have there been any recent major changes to leadership or structure? How was communication handled?”

Research and academic opportunities

For applicants interested in academic careers or fellowships, research infrastructure matters:

• Look at:
  • Recent publications from the department
  • Ongoing clinical trials or translational research
  • Resident participation at national meetings (ACOG, SGO, SMFM, ASRM, AUGS)
• Ask:
  • Are there formal resident research requirements?
  • Is there protected time for research?
  • How are mentors assigned?

If your goal is community generalist practice, you may prefer a program that emphasizes clinical efficiency, surgical skills, and practice management rather than heavy research.

---

Using Interviews, Open Houses, and Networking to Refine Your List

Your understanding of a program changes significantly once you interact with real people. These experiences are crucial in the obstetrics match process.

Virtual and in-person information sessions

Many programs now host pre-application webinars or Q&A sessions. Use them to gather details you can’t find online:

• Ask specific, informed questions showing you’ve done basic research:
  • “I saw you have in-house MFM and Gyn Onc fellowships—how is surgical autonomy maintained for residents?”
  • “Can you describe how continuity clinics are structured across PGY years?”
  • “What changes have been made to the call schedule or curriculum in the last few years, and why?”

Keep notes after each event: your immediate gut reactions are often more accurate than impressions you reconstruct months later.

Interview days: what to observe and ask

Interview days are your best window into a program’s real culture.

Pay attention to:

• How residents talk about their work:
  • Do they seem exhausted and resentful, or tired but proud and supported?
• Cohesion:
  • Do residents appear to genuinely like one another?
  • Are they comfortable joking with faculty?
• Transparency:
  • Are they willing to discuss challenges and areas for improvement?
  • Do they gloss over questions, or give specific examples?

Targeted questions to ask residents

Use interviews to deepen your evaluating residency programs process:

• Workload and support:
  • “On a tough week, what makes it manageable here?”
  • “When you’re on L&D, how many patients are you typically covering?”
• Autonomy and supervision:
  • “When did you first feel like the primary surgeon on major cases?”
  • “How involved are attendings in day-to-day decisions on L&D?”
• Education:
  • “Is didactic time truly protected?”
  • “How supportive is the program for board prep?”
• Outcomes:
  • “What have recent grads gone on to do?”
  • “How supported do residents feel in applying for fellowship or jobs?”

Ask the same core 4–5 questions at every program; this allows consistent comparison later.

Leveraging mentors and alumni

Your program research strategy should include conversations with people who know you and the field:

• Home program faculty:
  • Can suggest programs that align with your strengths and goals
  • May offer inside knowledge on leadership and culture at other institutions
• Recent graduates and alumni:
  • Can share their experience with specific programs and regions
  • Provide insight into fellowship or job prospects after certain trainings
• Residents at target programs (through away rotations, networking, national conferences):
  • Offer candid, up-to-date perspectives that websites cannot

Prepare specific questions in advance so these conversations are focused and efficient.

---

Ranking Programs: Turning Data into a Final List

After months of research, interviews, and conversations, you’ll need to transform impressions into a rank list. This step should be systematic rather than purely emotional, while still honoring your instincts.

Create a structured comparison system

Build a simple scoring or ranking framework around your top priorities. Example categories:

1. Clinical training (OB volume, GYN surgery, subspecialty exposure)
2. Culture and support (resident happiness, mentorship, wellness)
3. Career alignment (fellowship opportunities or generalist preparation)
4. Location and lifestyle
5. Personal “fit” and gut feeling

For each program, rate these on a consistent scale (e.g., 1–5). Add room for free-text notes to capture nuances that scores miss.

Weighing “prestige” vs fit

Name recognition and reputation matter somewhat, especially for competitive fellowships, but they are not the only—nor usually the dominant—factor in your long-term success.

Consider:

• A slightly less “prestigious” program where you:
  • Will be happier and better supported
  • Gain earlier surgical autonomy
  • Have accessible mentors in your areas of interest
• Versus a big-name academic center where:
  • You may be one of many residents competing for cases and mentorship
  • Culture might be more intense or less supportive

For most applicants, strong clinical training plus a positive culture beats prestige alone.

Trusting your gut (with guardrails)

After all the structured analysis:

• Revisit your notes right after each interview:
  • How did you feel leaving the Zoom room or campus?
  • Could you picture yourself working alongside these residents?
• Reflect on:
  • Where you felt energized vs drained
  • Which programs’ missions and values resonated with you

Then, use your scoring system and mentor feedback to sanity-check your instincts. If your top “gut choice” ranks very low on clinical training, for example, reflect carefully before placing it high on your rank list.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

How many OB GYN residency programs should I apply to?

The ideal number depends on your competitiveness, geography limitations, and whether you’re an MD, DO, or international medical graduate. Many U.S. MD applicants apply to 30–60 OB GYN programs, while DO and international graduates often apply more broadly.

Work with your dean’s office and OB GYN advisors:

• Review your scores, clerkship performance, and experiences
• Calibrate your list to include a mix of reach, match, and safety programs
• Avoid “shotgun” applying without a clear program research strategy—targeted applications often yield better interview returns.

How important is research for matching into OB GYN?

Research is helpful but not universally mandatory. Its importance depends on your career goals and target programs:

• For academic or fellowship-focused programs:
  • OB GYN–related research, QI projects, or scholarly work strengthen your application
• For community-oriented programs:
  • Strong clinical performance, OB GYN letters, and interpersonal skills may weigh more heavily

Even a small project (case report, QI initiative, poster presentation) can demonstrate curiosity and follow-through.

What if a program I like has fellows—will that hurt my training?

Not necessarily. Programs with MFM, Gyn Onc, or REI fellowships can offer:

• More complex cases and exposure to cutting-edge care
• More subspecialty mentors and research options

The key question: How is resident autonomy preserved? Ask:

• “In cases shared between fellows and residents, how are roles determined?”
• “Can you give examples of cases where residents are always primary vs where fellows are primary?”

Strong programs have clear structures ensuring that residents still graduate with robust surgical and clinical experience.

How do I assess wellness and work-life balance at a program?

This is one of the hardest but most important aspects of evaluating residency programs. Combine multiple approaches:

• Website clues:
  • Mention of wellness curriculum, retreats, support services
• Resident conversations:
  • Ask what they do outside of work and how often they see friends/family
  • Ask for an example of how the program supported someone going through a difficult time
• Practical indicators:
  • Call schedule, backup coverage systems
  • Duty hour enforcement and attitudes toward logging hours honestly

Look for consistency between what leadership says and what residents describe. If there’s a mismatch, weigh that carefully.

---

Thoughtful, structured research is essential to navigating the obstetrics match successfully. By clarifying your priorities, using multiple data sources, engaging with mentors and residents, and reflecting honestly on your own needs, you can build a targeted list and ultimately rank programs with confidence—setting yourself up for a residency experience that supports both your development as an OB GYN physician and your life outside the hospital.