Advocate Lutheran General Hospital provides a comprehensive four-year Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program, meticulously designed to cultivate highly skilled and compassionate women’s health advocates. Fully accredited by the ACGME, our program offers a unique training environment within a regional tertiary care center that retains a strong community hospital ethos. Residents benefit from exposure to a diverse and substantial patient population, ensuring exceptional proficiency in general OBGYN and all subspecialty areas.
A Robust Training Ground
Lutheran General Hospital, a Level-One Trauma Center equipped with a 56-bed Level Three NICU, stands as an exceptional setting for residency. Our residents collaborate with outstanding departments and educational programs in internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, neonatology, and emergency medicine, fostering a holistic understanding of patient care.
Our Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology is a respected clerkship site for the University of Illinois at Chicago and Rosalind Franklin University/Chicago Medical School, further enriching the academic atmosphere. We extend our educational mission by offering electives to fourth-year medical students in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Urogynecology, and Gynecologic Oncology, shaping the future of OBGYN.
Comprehensive Resident Rotations
Our rigorous four-year curriculum includes mandatory rotations meticulously crafted to provide well-rounded expertise:
- Obstetrics: In-depth experience in managing both low-risk and high-risk pregnancies, deliveries, and postpartum care.
- Gynecology: Extensive surgical and clinical training in general gynecology, encompassing a wide spectrum of conditions.
- Urogynecology (Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery – FPMRS): Focused training in diagnosing and managing pelvic floor disorders and reconstructive surgical techniques.
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM): High-volume exposure to complex maternal and fetal conditions, advanced diagnostics, and cutting-edge interventions.
- Gynecologic Oncology: Comprehensive training in the medical and surgical management of gynecologic cancers.
- Ambulatory Obstetrics and Gynecology: Development of primary care skills for women, emphasizing preventative care and long-term health management.
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI): Specialized training in reproductive endocrinology, infertility evaluation, and assisted reproductive technologies.
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU): Critical care management of complex surgical patients, enhancing skills in perioperative and postoperative care.
- Ultrasound: Dedicated rotations in both obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound, developing advanced diagnostic imaging skills.
Ambulatory and Continuity Clinic: Your Patient Panel
A cornerstone of our program is the Ambulatory Clinic, situated in the convenient Parkside Office attached to the hospital. This continuity clinic allows residents to build their own patient panels, providing invaluable experience in primary care for women under the guidance of fourteen dedicated generalist faculty members. Our faculty are experts in ambulatory OBGYN and primary care, ensuring residents receive exceptional mentorship.
Residents dedicate 1-2 half-days weekly to their continuity clinic, managing their patients’ longitudinal care and honing their clinical and interpersonal skills. The clinic is equipped with advanced technologies, including urodynamics, 3-D/4-D ultrasound, and an electronic medical record system, supporting a state-of-the-art learning environment.
Furthermore, residents gain experience in managing complex patients in our high-risk obstetrics clinic within the Perinatal Center. This setting provides exposure to intricate medical conditions affecting both mother and fetus, with residents progressively gaining responsibility under faculty supervision, prioritizing patient safety above all. By their senior year, residents confidently manage the daily operations of an outpatient clinic, demonstrating their readiness for independent practice.
Gynecology: Surgical Excellence and Graduated Responsibility
Surgical training in gynecology is structured around graduated responsibility, ensuring residents are appropriately challenged and supported at each level. In 2019, our department impressively performed 528 hysterectomies (vaginal, laparoscopic/robotic, and abdominal), guided by nationally recognized surgical faculty. Didactic learning is reinforced through daily teaching rounds, monthly morbidity conferences, lectures, and Journal Clubs, fostering continuous intellectual growth.
Gynecologic Oncology: Comprehensive Cancer Care Training
Our Gynecologic Oncology division is staffed by three full-time specialists, offering residents robust exposure to oncologic care. PGY 3 residents undertake a three to four-month senior resident rotation in GYN Oncology, preceded by a three-month junior resident rotation during PGY 2. The didactic component includes daily teaching rounds and weekly conferences, alongside mandatory attendance at a weekly multidisciplinary Gynecologic Oncology conference and a separate multidisciplinary breast cancer management conference. With approximately 500 major oncology cases annually and growing, residents gain experience in a high-volume, complex oncology setting.
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI): Fertility Expertise
Residents dedicate a one-month block during their second year to REI, collaborating with the renowned Fertility Centers of Illinois. When not on dedicated REI rotation, residents continue to engage with REI cases through the gynecology service. A specialized REI curriculum, encompassing articles and learning modules, is complemented by regular lectures from REI division members. Additionally, three other REI groups affiliated with our department actively involve residents in research, providing a rich and multifaceted learning experience.
Urogynecology (FPMRS): Pelvic Health Leadership
Our Urogynecology division boasts four full-time faculty members, providing residents with extensive FPMRS training during PGY 2, 3, and 4. Residents are exposed to a complete spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, including urodynamic testing, pelvic floor physical therapy, and non-surgical treatment protocols. Regular lectures from urogynecology faculty further enrich the didactic curriculum.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM): High-Risk Obstetrics and Fetal Interventions
Seven full-time perinatologists comprise our MFM division, offering comprehensive high-risk obstetrics services both within the hospital and at the Parkside Perinatal Center. As a regional referral center, we manage a high volume of complex MFM cases. Our program includes a fetal surgery program, offering advanced procedures such as fetal blood transfusions, shunt placements, in-utero myelomeningocele surgery, and laser placental surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
High-Risk Obstetrics Management: A Diverse Patient Population
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital’s Level III designation means we receive maternal transports from a broad geographical area, exposing residents to a highly diverse patient population and a wide range of high-risk obstetrical scenarios. The MFM division provides comprehensive care for both mother and child, including consultative and primary care for medical obstetrical complications, preconception counseling, and pregnancy planning. Residents also gain experience in genetics counseling through rotations in both the perinatal center and the hospital’s independent genetics center.
Daily teaching rounds on high-risk obstetrics patients are integral to the obstetrical rotations. The MFM division also conducts weekly morbidity and mortality conferences focused on perinatal care and monthly lectures, ensuring continuous learning and quality improvement.
Our hospital manages approximately 3800-4000 deliveries annually, encompassing both high-risk and low-risk pregnancies, providing residents with exceptional volume and variety.
Antepartum Testing and Ultrasound Expertise
Residents gain proficiency in antepartum fetal well-being testing, including nonstress tests, biophysical profiles, and Doppler ultrasound of the fetal arterial and venous systems. Formal rotations in both obstetric ultrasound (PGY 1) and gynecologic ultrasound (PGY 2) ensure comprehensive diagnostic ultrasound skills.
Electives and Advanced Training
Elective rotations are available during the third and fourth years, allowing residents to pursue areas of special interest. With program director approval, one elective month can be completed outside of Lutheran General Hospital, broadening educational horizons.
ACLS/BLS/NRP Emergency Response Training
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital prioritizes emergency preparedness. ACLS training is provided at the residency’s outset, and annual BLS training is mandatory. OBGYN residents also receive NRP training during their first and third years, ensuring competency in neonatal resuscitation.
Research: Innovation and Scholarly Activity
Research is deeply valued at Advocate. Supported by departmental faculty and a dedicated hospital research institute, residents are actively engaged in scholarly pursuits. On-site research assistance and a 2-week research introductory rotation during PGY 1 are provided. Completion of a research project and a Grand Rounds presentation are graduation prerequisites. The Advocate Health Care system-wide research day offers a platform for residents to showcase their research endeavors.
Our graduates consistently achieve successful fellowship placements in MIGS, MFM, REI, and Global Health, reflecting the program’s commitment to fostering future leaders in OBGYN. The Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program is dedicated to developing compassionate, skilled, and knowledgeable physician advocates for women’s health.
