Evaluation of an Obstetric Medicine Curriculum for Obstetrics and Gynecology Trainees: A Quality Improvement Study

OBJECTIVES: Medical disorders in pregnancy are increasing. This highlights the need for obstetrics trainees to develop a strong foundation in managing medical conditions in pregnancy. METHODS: To address this, the internal medicine curriculum at our institution was redesigned for first year obstetrics residents to include an obstetric medicine (OBM) rotation. RESULTS: Before implementation, only 19% of residents felt at least moderately comfortable with OBM topics outlined by the Canadian Consensus for a Curriculum in Obstetric Medicine. This increased to 66% after the introduction of the redesigned curriculum. Using quality improvement methodology, we aimed to increase this to 80% via iterative plan-do-study-act cycles. Post-intervention, 81% of trainees reported feeling at least moderately comfortable in 14 of 17 Canadian Consensus for a Curriculum in Obstetric Medicine topics. CONCLUSIONS: This quality improvement-driven curriculum enhancement was well-received and further highlights the value of early OBM integration in obstetrics training.