Obstetrics and Gynecology

Medical Student Education

"When teachers care"
--Professor Fritz Roethlisberger
Harvard University

Robert L. Barbieri, MD, Chairman of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Michael R. Stelluto, MD, Clerkship Director
Paulette Nippet, Assistant to the Clerkship Director

MISSION

Our mission is to provide the highest quality educational programs for medical students in the area of women’s healthcare.  Our primary commitment to teaching focuses on the Core Clerkship Course in Obstetrics and Gynecology for third year Harvard Medical School students. Our goal is to see that graduating medical students acquire the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes towards women’s health to provide the best in health care for patients.

CORE CLERKSHIP

The major teaching responsibility is in the Core Clerkship in OB/GYN for third year Harvard Medical School students.  Eight times a year, seven 3rd year HMS students (56 per year) are assigned to the BWH Core Clerkship Program for 5½ weeks of clinical experiences.  In addition, students (40/year), rotating through the Core Clerkships at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Vanguard, are invited to participate in our weekly faculty seminar series.  In total, 106 students per year come to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital to receive didactic and clinical teaching at our site.  Students are exposed to clinical teaching on the wards and labor and delivery, in the OR and embryology/IVF laboratory and in faculty and resident clinics and private doctors’ offices.  We encourage a team approach in education by assigning each student to patient care teams.

The success in teaching and learning for the Core Clerkship comes from the time commitment and dedication of our entire faculty who provide exceptional teaching for medical students throughout the four-year curriculum.  On Wednesdays, full-time faculty lead case-based, interactive, evidence-based seminars with emphasis on pathophysiology for the eight third year Core Clerkship rotations.  The seminar series is rated highly by the medical students and Harvard Medical School.  Topics in general obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology and gynecologic oncology cover the core teaching objectives students must achieve upon completion of the clerkship.  Faculty volunteer for final oral exams at the end of each clerkship. 

Teaching is provided with a sense of pride by our dedicated staff of faculty, fellows, residents, private attendings, nurses, midwives, surgical techs, genetic counselors and invaluable support staff.  The following list highlights some of the roles and activities for each year of medical school.

Year 1

·        Human Systems, Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology: Robert Barbieri, MD
·        Clinical Pelvic Anatomy, HST students: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Human Sexuality Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Laboratory Instructor, Human Body Dissection Lab and Histology: Lisa Gruenberg, MD
·        Human Sexuality in Medicine: Nawal Nour, MD
·        Patient/Doctor I, White Coat Ceremony: Michael Stelluto, MD
·        Tutor, Anatomy & Histology, Simulation, Human Physiology: Lisa Gruenberg, MD 

Year 2

·      How To Do a Pelvic Examination: Introduction to Clinical Medicine, HST students, 10 sessions, 3 students per session: Coordinated by Paulette Nippet: Faculty  
·        Clinical Pelvic Anatomy, HST: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Human Sexuality Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Contraception: Alice Mark, MD
·        Transition From the Classroom to the Clerkship; Bridge to Mentoring Program/Basic Sciences (Years 1-2) to Clinical Learning (Years 3-4): Michael Stelluto, MD

·        Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Thomas McElrath, MD
·        Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology: Janis Fox, MD
·        Gynecologic Oncology: Ross Berkowitz, MD 
·        Advanced Clinical Anatomy Elective: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Human Sexuality: Daniela Carusi, MD
·        Comprehensive Examination (OSCE): Michael Stelluto, MD 

GOALS

• Continue to provide the highest quality undergraduate medical education in women’s health for all Harvard Medical School students
• Provide faculty development programs in teaching for residents and fellows
• Develop competency assessment mechanisms for medical students in six areas:  Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and System-Based Practice
• Promote faculty as future Scholars in the Academy at Harvard Medical School