Availability and characteristics of abortion training in US ob-gyn residency programs: a national survey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the availability and characteristics of abortion training in US ob-gyn residency programs.


METHODS
We surveyed fourth-year residents at US residency programs by email regarding availability and type of abortion training, procedural experience and self-assessed competence in abortion skills. We conducted multivariable, ordinal logistic regression with general estimating equations to determine individual-level and resident-reported, program-level correlates of quantity of uterine evacuation procedures done during residency.


RESULTS
Three hundred sixty-two residents provided data, representing 161 of the 240 residency programs contacted. Access to training in elective abortion was available to most respondents: 54% reported routine training--where abortion training was routinely scheduled; 30% reported opt-in training--where training was available but not routinely integrated; and 16% reported that elective abortion training was not available. Residents in programs with routine elective abortion training and those who intended to do abortions before residency did a greater number of first-trimester manual uterine aspiration and second-trimester dilation and evacuation procedures than those without routine training. Similarly, routine, integrated training, even for indications other than elective abortion, correlated with more clinical experience (all p<.01, odds ratio and confidence interval shown below).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a strong independent relationship between routine training and greater clinical experience with uterine aspiration procedures.
Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Jema K
JK
Turk
Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: preskillf@obgyn.ucsf.edu.
Felisa
F
Preskill
Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Uta
U
Landy
Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Corinne H
CH
Rocca
Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Jody E
JE
Steinauer
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
Access; Procedural experience; Resident education