title: Global Women's Health Education in Canadian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residency Programs: A Survey of Program Directors and Senior Residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To become culturally competent practitioners with the ability to care and advocate for vulnerable populations, residents must be educated in global health priorities. In the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, there is minimal information about global women's health (GWH) education and interest within residency programs. We wished to determine within obstetrics and gynaecology residency programs across Canada: (1) current GWH teaching and support, (2) the importance of GWH to residents and program directors, and (3) the level of interest in a national postgraduate GWH curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an online survey across Canada of obstetrics and gynaecology residency program directors and senior obstetrics and gynaecology residents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 297 residents, 101 (34.0%) responded to the survey and 76 (26%) completed the full survey. Eleven of 16 program directors (68.8%) responded and 10/16 (62.5%) provided complete responses. Four of 11 programs (36.4%) had a GWH curriculum, 2/11 (18.2%) had a GWH budget, and 4/11 (36.4%) had a GWH chairperson. Nine of 10 program directors (90%) and 68/79 residents (86.1%) felt that an understanding of GWH issues is important for all Canadian obstetrics and gynaecology trainees. Only 1/10 program directors (10%) and 11/79 residents (13.9%) felt that their program offered sufficient education in these issues. Of residents in programs with a GWH curriculum, 12/19 (63.2%) felt that residents in their program who did not undertake an international elective would still learn about GWH, versus only 9/50 residents (18.0%) in programs without a curriculum (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obstetrics and gynaecology residents and program directors feel that GWH education is important for all trainees and is currently insufficient. There is a high level of interest in a national postgraduate GWH educational module.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON.
authors.forename: Heather C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Randle
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON.
authors.forename: Rachel F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Spitzer
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: education; global health; gynecology; internship and residency; medical; obstetrics; women’s health