Obstetrics/Gynecology Residency Program
About the Obstetrics/Gynecology Residency Program
The Obstetrics/Gynecology Residency Program at Lankenau Medical Center began more than 50 years ago. Today, 41 obstetricians/gynecologists serve on the active medical staff at Lankenau Medical Center, 16 current faculty attending physicians trained through this program. The program involves four post-doctoral years. Residents function as a team with the attending staff, medical students, nurses and non-medical personnel. Our program is approved for four residents/year.
Graduated responsibility
The program is designed for the resident to rotate within different clinical settings and specialties, performing diverse duties. During the progression of the residency duties of the resident will increase in complexity and responsibility. All patients, both private and clinic, admitted to the OB/GYN service are teaching patients.
Faculty and residents
Learn more about the obstetrics/gynecology residency program's faculty and residents.
Curriculum
The obstetrics/gynecology residency program at Lankenau Medical Center offers residents a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum. You will receive intensive exposure in the following areas:
Family-centered obstetrics
- Over 2,800 deliveries per year
- Labor and delivery suite featuring 10 LDR’s and three operating rooms
- Residents participate in the care and management of all private and clinic patients
- Large high-risk population with six perinatologists, a level III nursery and seven neonatologists on staff to assure 24/7 coverage
Gynecology
- Work directly with generalists and sub-specialists on all cases (no fellows)
- Large per resident volume of gynecologic surgery
- Extensive training in minimally invasive surgery, including FLS curriculum and robotic surgery
Sub-specialty training
One resident is assigned to each of the sub-specialties within the department.
Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI)
You work exclusively with our seven reproductive endocrinologists in the office and the operating room. REI lectures occur one-on-one in the office, and as part of the Friday morning CORE curriculum lectures.
The Center for Reproductive Medicine, under the direction of Michael J. Glassner, MD, is located at the Bryn Mawr Hospital campus.
Other physicians on the REI staff include:
- John J. Orris, DO (Graduate of the residency program in 2000)
- Deanna R. Brasile, DO
- Benjamin Gocial, MD
- Albert El-Roeiy, MD
Shady Grove Fertility Faculty:
- Isaac E. Sasson, MD, PhD, FACOG, Assistant Program Director
- Caleb Kallen, MD, PhD
- Ryan Martin, MD
- Briana Schumacher, MD
Gynecologic oncology
Experience is gained in radical surgery, radiation techniques, chemotherapy and the complications inherent in these conditions in the hospital and office settings. Since the program does not have fellows, the residents receive invaluable experience in critical care and work directly with the oncologists in the OR insuring a first-class surgical experience.
David Holtz, MD, chief of the division of gynecologic oncology, along with Xiaomang Stickles, MD, takes a proactive role in didactic instruction, organizing a monthly oncology didactic conference as well as a monthly oncology slide review with the pathologists. Lauren Turker, MD has recently joined our staff in the division of gynecologic oncology.
Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM)
Andrew G. Gerson, MD, chief division of maternal fetal medicine, together with Eric J. Carlson, DO, Alan E. Donnenfeld,MD, Garo Megerian, MD, Sara Nicholas, MD, and Antonette T. Dulay, MD, are responsible for the residents MFM curriculum. Time is divided between the Perinatal Testing Center (PTC) where ultrasound skills are learned and the Antepartum Unit (APU) where high-risk obstetrical patients are managed. Six perinatologists are on staff performing more than 8,000 procedures a year in the PTC at Lankenau Medical Center. Residents work directly with the ultrasonographers and perinatologists. The resident covering the MFM service also works in the high-risk clinic under the direction of the perinatologist twice monthly.
The Friday CORE curriculum includes lectures given by the MFM faculty.
Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery
Marc R. Toglia, MD, director of the continence program for women at Riddle Hospital, part of Main Line Health, and chief of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, along with his associate Mitchell Berger, MD, are responsible for the residents' education in urinary incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. Lectures are given throughout the year on pelvic floor anatomy/function and the diagnosis/management of urinary and fecal incontinence as part of the residents' Friday CORE curriculum lectures. While on the female pelvic and reconstructive surgery service, residents work with Drs. Toglia and Berger, in the office and receive significant experience in vaginal and urogynecology surgery.
Schedule
Through the Lankenau Medical Center obstetrics/gynecology residency program, residents will spend time in different clinical settings and on different tasks and specialties. These tasks will increase in complexity and responsibility as the four-year residency progresses.
First-year residents
- Three months gynecology
- Three months obstetrics
- One month family planning
- One and a half months night float
- One month intensive care unit
- One month emergency department
- Two weeks basic ultrasound training
- Two weeks breast surgery
- One week genetics
- One week of float
Second-year residents
- Three months obstetrics (managing the labor and delivery room)
- Three months gynecology
- Two months maternal-fetal medicine
- One month reproductive endocrinology and infertility
- Two months night float
- One month female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery
Third-year residents
- Three months gynecology
- One month obstetrics
- Two months night float
- Three months gynecologic oncology
- One month maternal-fetal medicine
- One month reproductive endocrinology
- One month office gynecology
Fourth-year residents
- Three months as chief resident supervising the gynecologic service
- Three months as chief of obstetrics supervising the obstetrics service
- One month night float
- One month female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery
- Three month clinic chief
- One month office gynecology
On-call experience
- Two residents, one senior (PGY 3 or 4) and one junior (PGY 1 or 2), are in the hospital at all times — there is a night float system
- Call for residents not on night float averages three times per month
- There is an in-house attending physician, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Ambulatory Services
Lankenau Medical Center obstetrics and gynecology care center
Residents are required to attend Obstetrics and Gynecology Care Center one half-day per week. The care center has four divisions: obstetrics, gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and family planning.
The resident who is rotating on MFM covers the high-risk obstetrics session weekly. Colposcopy’s are scheduled during regular office hours.
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Care Center is also supported by one certified nurse practitioner and one certified nurse midwife. There are two faculty supervising physicians at each session.
Because of Lankenau Medical Center's location our clinic has an extremely diverse patient population.
Our state-of-the-art center includes:
- 12 exam rooms
- Two procedure rooms
- Administrative space for the support team including social work
- A lactation room
- Patient education room
About Main Line Health
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health (MLH) is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. At its core are four of the region’s respected acute care hospitals — Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; and Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice, a home health service. Main Line Health also consists of Main Line HealthCare, one of the region’s largest multi-specialty physician networks and the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit biomedical research organization located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center. Main Line Health is also comprised of five outpatient health centers.
With more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians, Main Line Health is the recipient of numerous awards for quality care and service, including System Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for nursing excellence and recognition as among the nation’s best employers by Forbes magazine. Main Line Health is committed to creating an environment of diversity, respect and inclusion and has proudly embraced the American Hospital Association’s #123forEquity Pledge to Act to eliminate disparities in care. We are dedicated to advancing patient-centered care, education and research to help our community stay healthy.
Located for convenience
Main Line Health is located along Pennsylvania’s "Main Line," a suburban corridor of thriving communities extending northwest from Philadelphia for approximately 25 miles. Just a quick drive or train ride into the heart of the city, the Main Line is a collection of some of the most beautiful suburbs in the country, with tree-lined streets, stone colonial homes, parks, affordable housing, some of the best school systems in the state, convenient shopping, a variety of restaurants and an outstanding quality of life in a top-tier community.
Our proximity to the sixth most populous city in the nation opens up a world of activities. Philadelphia boasts a vibrant arts and culture scene, world-class restaurants, an exciting nightlife, an extensive park system, seven major-league sports teams, the nation's “most historic square mile,” two beautiful rivers with year-round waterfront activities, charming neighborhoods, cutting-edge festivals, friendly and diverse people and so much more.
In addition, New York City and Baltimore are both near enough for day trips and the Pocono Mountains and New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland beaches all offer weekend getaways.
Learn more about Diversity, Respect, Equity & Inclusion at Main Line Health
Protected academic didactic lecture time
- Four hours dedicated exclusively for lectures, text review, CREOG prep and other academic pursuits
- Clinical duties are suspended
Core curriculum lectures include but are not limited to:
- General gynecology
- General obstetrics
- Reproductive endocrinology
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Gynecologic oncology
- Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery
- Pathology
- Monthly pathology slide review
- Preventive primary care
- Medical specialties
Academic conferences
Weekly department meetings
Topics include but not limited to:
- System grand rounds: featuring local, regional and national speakers
- Departmental obstetric M&M
- Departmental gynecology M&M
- Position papers discussion moderated by residents
Journal Club: Held bimonthly usually off campus. Articles are assigned to residents to review and present. A schedule is created at the beginning of each academic year. All residents are expected to attend, dinner is provided. This is also attended by faculty and medical students.
Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia: Residents are expected to attend this meeting at least three of the seven meetings each year. This is an outside local conference held in Center City Philadelphia.
Rounds: Occur daily with the supervising faculty attending. This gives the resident and faculty opportunity for informal teaching at the bedside.
Board rounds: Occur twice a day in labor and delivery with the obstetrics team. This team includes: faculty, residents, nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, neonatology and medical students.
Graduate medical education curriculum: All residents are required to participate in all core curriculum lectures presented by the Graduate Medical Education Office.
Other conferences held on the Lankenau campus that are of interest include:
- Harmonious consultation conference
- Interdisciplinary basic science lecture
- Bioethics
Outside conference attendance
Residents have the opportunity to attend outside conferences.
- PGY-2: Conference of choice
- PGY-3: Conference of choice
- PGY-4: Board review conference
See Benefits Section
Your future
Simulation Center
In 2010 the Simulation Center opened as part of the Annenberg Conference Center for Medical Education. The Sim Center is used for obstetrics and gynecology simulation training to include but not limited to:
- Shoulder dystocia drills
- Laparoscopic Olympics
- Postpartum hemorrhage
Annenberg Conference Center for Medical Education
Global Health
PGY-4 residents have the opportunity to be part of mission trips to Guatemala. This gives the resident exposure to the medicine of this country and the need these women have for trained physicians. Many lives are changed by this experience both the patients and the residents who are given this opportunity.
Research
As a resident in the obstetrics/gynecology residency program at Lankenau Medical Center you will complete a research project with advice and guidance from an attending physician. Research projects range from case studies to double-blind trials. Research performed by Lankenau residents has been both published and presented at national meetings (see list below). At the end of each academic year the OB/GYN department hosts a Residency Research Day. All residents are encouraged to present any finished research project to date or give a report on the progress of their senior research project. The PGY-4 must have a finished research project to present.
The Lankenau Institute for Medical Research is located on campus. Its scientists, technicians and facilities are available to assist with residents' research.
Requirements for Application
Applicants to the residency program in obstetrics/gynecology are accepted only through ERAS. Copies of USMLE Steps I and II scores or Levels 1 and 2 COMLEX scores are required.
- We require a USMLE score for Step I and II to be 220 or higher on the first attempt
- We require a Comlex score for Level 1 and 2 to be 560 or higher on the first attempt. For the osteopathic students applying it is not mandatory to take the USMLE exam however we strongly recommend you take at least USMLE Step I
- You must have graduated from Medical School within the last five years
- You must have had clinical experience in the U.S. (please note we cannot accept observership as clinical experience)
- The hospital accepts J1 and H1B visas
For more information or questions regarding application requirements, please contact the Manager of Ob/Gyn, Darylynn Lindo at lindod@mlhs.org. Please, no phone calls.