The specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology is broadly encompassing and professionally demanding. The Ob/Gyn is a primary care physician for women – from childhood through the menopausal and postmenopausal years – from pediatric gynecology to female geriatrics. The Ob/Gyn is also a surgeon responsible for, and capable of performing complex surgical procedures through the vagina, through an abdominal incision or with the modern tools of minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopy or robotics.

The Ob/Gyn is responsible for balancing the health and priorities of two patients at once – the fetus and the pregnant mother. While four years of postgraduate (post medical school) training (residency) provides the base for the Ob/Gyn, additional years of training (three to four) are required to develop expertise in the Ob/Gyn subspecialty areas. Additionally, for both the Ob/Gyn and the subspecialist, a lifetime of continuous updating is both a professional and a public expectation.