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Abstract

The practice of obstetrics and gynecology has changed dramatically in the last decade. Evidence exists for a marked increasein professional dissatisfaction, poor personal relationship and burnout. These conditions are now being seen in younger physiciansand in training programmes. Physicians have thus stopped practicing obstetrics and gynecology at a much younger age and areincreasingly quitting training programmes. These findings, along with the recent societal liability of the profession and medico-legalcrisis, leave many communities with a shortage of physicians who practice gynecology in particular. A potential solution foralleviating some of these conditions is the introduction of a new paradigm of training in obstetrics and gynecology that producesa physician whose sole focus of practice is managing the gynecological patient as its end product. This purposive training willremove from the physician the need to be always available to the laboring patient that potentially may decrease stress, improvephysician well being , increase length of professional practice and decrease burnout. The “gynecological” trainee will also devotemore time to apprenticeship, coaching in communication and technical skills and in turn improve patent care and satisfactionbecause he or she will have no other distractions during training.