Curriculum

Clinical Training

Clinical responsibilities of the fellows are directed toward providing comprehensive contraceptive options, full scope abortion care and sensitive care surrounding miscarriage and pregnancy loss.  This includes working at the CUIMC Family Planning Faculty Practice and our hospital-based abortion service. Fellows collaborate closely with Maternal-Fetal Medicine where appropriate and work with other specialists throughout the medical center to care for patients with complex medical conditions. Fellows learn to provide medication abortion and early procedural abortion in a clinic setting, and second trimester abortion in an operating room setting. Specific clinical activities vary according to the interests of each fellow and according to opportunities in the department. Our practice receives referrals from around New York City and State for complex cases including challenging IUD/implant insertions and removals, abortions involving complex medical issues, and contraception for patients with various medical comorbidities. Fellows participate in meetings and activities sponsored by national and international agencies that focus on reproductive health issues.

Research Curriculum

Fellows participate in research conducted by the Division of Family Planning and Preventive Services. The division has a robust research infrastructure with a strong history of productive and impactful research. ellows are expected to initiate and complete a project which may involve original research or secondary data analysis of another divisional project. Mentorship is provided by one of the Family Planning faculty, with close oversight from Dr Julia Kohn, Family Planning Research Director, and from the Fellowship Program Director. Fellows are exposed to division research beyond their particular projects at our weekly division meeting and participate in research related study visits. Direct instruction is provided on how to conduct a peer review, how to write a research proposal, and how to prepare a paper for publication. When appropriate, we provide opportunities for fellows to carry out sub-studies or secondary analyses of larger ongoing projects.

Conferences & Didactic Sessions

Division Didactics

The Fellowship Director and other faculty meet weekly for didactic teaching with allfellows. Didactic teaching includes all areas of the subspecialty required for certification including journal clubs,  advocacy topics and reproductive justice.

Morbidity and Mortality Conference

Thursday is the academic day for the entire Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at CUIMC. The day begins with the Morbidity and Mortality Conference (M&M) conference, in which interesting cases from each service are presented by members of the house staff and are followed by lively and thoughtful discussion from the faculty and other members of the department.

Grand Rounds

Weekly Grand Rounds follow the M&M Conference and feature presentations from within our faculty, as well as many distinguished visiting guest speakers. Each first-year fellow is also required to give one Grand Rounds presentation each year, and these talks are often the highlight of the morning session. Second- year fellows present the Family Planning division statistics each year.

Fellow Lecture Series

A core Fellow Lecture Series across divisions supplements the experience gained on clinical rotations to round out the comprehensive post-graduate curriculum.

Journal Club

A Family Planning Journal Club is held monthly with the presentation of an interesting paper by a resident and attended by Family Planning faculty and fellows.

Research Meeting

Research meetings are held biweekly, during which fellows meet with their mentors and fellowship director to check in about research progress. All division faculty and research staff meet bimonthly to  discuss upcoming and ongoing research projects within the Division.

Seminars

Fellows are welcome to attend seminars hosted by the Mailman School of Public Health Department of Population and Family Health.