Specialties in Medicine: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Obstetrics and Gynecology:

Obstetrics and gynecology is a diversified specialty concerned with the delivery of medical and surgical care to women. This field combines two specialties: obstetrics, which focuses on the care of women before, during, and after childbirth; and gynecology, which involves the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the female reproductive system, breasts, and associated disorders. Relationships with patients are long-term and are often maintained through the postmenopausal stage of a patient's life.

Obstetrician/gynecologists (Ob/Gyn) often serve as consultants to other physicians. In many cases, the Ob/Gyn is the primary care physician, with whom female patients have regular contact and obtain medical advice and counseling. The specialty also offers opportunities to practice other skills such as laparoscopic surgery, endocrinology, and preventive medicine.

Length of Training

4 years.

Physician Compensation

Academic Medicine

	Low (25th Percentile)	Median	High (75th Percentile)

Early Career	$172,000	$203,000	$248,000
Mid to late Career	$201,000	$248,000	$300,000

Clinical Practice

	Low (25th Percentile)	Median	High (75th Percentile)

Starting Salaries	$180,000	$200,000	$235,000
1 - 2 Years in Specialty	N/A	$222,468	N/A
All Physicians	$224,515	N/A	$371,989

NRMP Statistics

PGY-1

2008

2009

2010

Number of Positions Offered:

Number of U.S. Allopathic Seniors:

Number of Total Applicants:

Positions Per U.S. Allopathic Senior:

Positions Per Total Applicants:

Number of Positions Filled by U.S. Allopathic Seniors (%):

Number of Positions Filled, Total Applicants (%):

Number of Unfilled Positions:

1163
951
1828
1.2
0.6
838 (72.1)
1151 (99)
12

1185
965
1796
1.2
0.7
879 (74.2)
1179 (99.5)
6

1187
1035
1777
1.1
0.7
915 (77.1)
1182 (99.6)
5

USMLE Scores and Residency Applicant Data

	U. S. Seniors
	Matched (n=874)	Did Not Match (n=67)

1. Mean number of contiguous ranks	9.7	6.2
2. Mean number of distinct specialties ranked	1	1.2
3. Mean USMLE Step 1 score	219	208
4. Mean USMLE Step 2 score	229	210
5. Mean number of research experiences	2.1	2.2
6. Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications	2.4	2.5
7. Mean number of work experiences	2.8	2.7
8. Mean number of volunteer experiences	7.2	6.2
9. Percentage who are AOA members	13.8	1.5
10. Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding	31	26.9
11. Percentage who have Ph.D. degree	2.2	7.5
12. Percentage who have another graduate degree	11.7	13.4

Sources:

Data and profiles adapted from the following sources

American Board of Medical Specialties' "Guide to Physician Specialties" and the Pathway Evaluation Program for Medical Professionals' "Specialty Profiles," 2003

The AAMC careers in medicine website specialty pages.

AAMC Report on Medical School Faculty Salaries 2008-2009. Washington, DC: Association of American Medical Colleges; 2010.

National Resident Matching Program (2008, 2009, 2010). Results and Data: 2008 Match, Results and Data: 2009, and Results and Data: 2010 Match. Washington, DC: National Resident Matching Program

National Resident Matching Program/Association of American Medical Colleges. (2009). Charting Outcomes in the Match: Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2009 NRMP Main Residency Match, Washington, DC: National Resident Matching Program/Association of American Medical Colleges.

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

Medical Students United

Helping inform future physicians one student at a time.

Specialties in Medicine: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Physician Compensation

Sources: