- from Childbirth Connection's national survey ''Listening to Mothers''
In a Nutshell
- Gynecologists protect, foster, and save lives.
- Gynecologists treat women during prenatal, natal, and postnatal periods.
- Gynecologists perform caesarean sections and other surgical procedures as needed to preserve their patients’ health and deliver infants safely.
- Gynecologists deliver newborns, including pre-term babies and other difficult cases.
- Gynecologists advise patients on birth control measures.
- Gynecologists identify, diagnose, and treat problems of the female reproductive system.
- Gynecologists determine the need for modified diets and physical activities, and recommend plans accordingly for pregnant women.
- Gynecologists discuss gynecological problems with patients.
- Gynecologists prescribe medication and provide advice on hygiene and family planning.
- Gynecologists advise patients on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
Many gynecologists enter their profession for the joy of bringing new life into the world. Even in spite of the long and arduous working hours, most gynecologists love their jobs, as they feel rewarded with the first cry of a newborn and the smile on a new mother’s face. If, as someone interested in healthcare, you believe you could enjoy and/or tolerate:
- a life learning from new experiences
- around 65 odd hours each week in the hospital
- irregular hours (including in the middle of the night) spent on emergency duties
- and 14-hour workdays, sometimes dealing with complicated pregnancies,
Qualities of a Good Gynecologist
- Calm, caring, and compassionate
- Strong decision maker
- Good listener
- Sensitive, empathizing, and caring (particularly when asking and answering difficult questions about women’s health, sexuality, and reproduction)
- Stamina
- Dedicated to his or her patients and capable of instilling confidence in them
- Hardworking
- Organized and interested in the profession
- Excellent communication skills
- Very strong ethics
A gynecologist needs five years of medical study (resulting in an M.D. degree) and at least seven years of hands-on training experience as an intern and resident to pick up the skills essential to obtaining Board Certification.
The future of gynecology is expanding with newer specialties cropping up each day, each more complex and challenging than the last. Today’s ob-gyns also function as specialist providers of gynecologic oncology, critical care medicine, maternal-fetal medicine, and reproductive endocrinology. From treatment and support of female patients with multiple organ dysfunctions to handling high-risk pregnancies, gynecologists provide consultation and comprehensive management of patients in hospitals, universities, private practice, or in work for pharmaceutical companies and research facilities. American medical schools are fully committed to training their new graduates in this specialty with the high degree of quality necessary to suit the increasingly favorable and challenging environment for the profession in the future.
Compensation, Salary, and Future
The “Medical Group Management Association, Physician Compensation and Production Report” of 2005 showed the median total salary of general gynecologists with less than two years in specialty as $203,270, while the median for those practitioners with more than one year in specialty was $247,348. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, meanwhile, estimated that gynecologists and obstetricians earned an average income of $178,040 in 2006. The government expects a greater demand for gynecologists and obstetricians through 2014.
