Fellows spend approximately half of their clinical time at this site over the two years of fellowship. During their 3-month longitudinal rotations, the fellow’s time is more focused on clinical care (60% clinical, 40% education time).  Fellows participate in care in the outpatient setting providing complex family planning care, including complex contraception counseling and abortion care in both the outpatient clinic at Women’s Ambulatory Health Services and the operating rooms.  Fellows participate in resident and medical student education at this clinical site. Fellows participate in quality improvement and assurance experiences and departmental meetings including Grand Rounds and Morbidity and Mortality Conferences. Fellows also attend required fellowship didactics during the rotation at this site.

Example weekly schedule at Hartford Hospital

Fellows spend approximately half of their clinical time at this site over the two years of fellowship.  During their 3-month longitudinal rotations at this site, 50% of the fellow’s time is clinical and 50% academic time.  This site is the primary site for research activities led by Dr. Neena Qasba. Fellows participate in patient care in the outpatient setting providing complex family planning care, including complex contraception counseling and abortion care in both The Women’s Center outpatient clinic  and the operating rooms. Fellows participate in resident and medical student education at this clinical site. Fellows also take one 24 hour generalist OBGYN call per month at this clinical site as part of the fellowship requirements. Fellows participate in quality improvement and assurance experiences and departmental meetings including Grand Rounds and Morbidity and Mortality Conferences. Fellows also attend required fellowship didactics during the rotation at this site.

Example weekly schedule at UConn Health - John Dempsey Hospital

The over-arching goal of the first-year fellow rotation (PGY-5) at the University of Connecticut Complex Family Planning fellowship is to build a foundation of medical knowledge, patient care and procedural skills as expected for a consultant in this field. The fellow will develop medical knowledge and clinical skills in the preoperative management and medication management of abortion, miscarriage, and other abnormal pregnancy care up to 24 weeks of gestation, identifying and managing common surgical complications in those areas, contraceptive needs for intermediate complex individuals, and developing basic research and advocacy skills. The fellow rotates through UConn Health and Hartford Hospital in 3-month blocks at each institution. Fellows have ongoing exposure to care for underserved and low-resource patients at Hartford Hospital. Fellows engage in teaching basic family planning knowledge and procedures to residents and medical students at both sites. Fellows provide medical care at the respective sites’ outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and inpatient hospital settings as applicable. The fellow will also participate in fellow-level educational experiences, including the Master of Public Health and fellowship didactics, which include content related to medical knowledge and clinical care, research skills and advocacy skills. The fellow will complete at least one quality improvement project during the PGY5 year, either as a co-mentor for a resident or other learner, or as the primary mentee.

There are six core competencies identified by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) that we use to assess the quality of fellow physicians’ education and evaluation. These educational program requirements allow for increased challenging immersive experiences to enhance training while under direct supervision as well as cultivating professional training. The milestones create solid landmarks in a fellow’s experience and a transparent framework for expectations throughout training.

The over-arching goal of the second-year fellow rotation (PGY-6) at the University of Connecticut Complex Family Planning Fellowship is to establish strong medical knowledge, patient care and procedural skills as expected for management of and consultation for complex family planning care. As a PGY-6, fellows their strengthen medical knowledge and clinical skills in the preoperative management and medication management of abortion, miscarriage, and other abnormal pregnancy care, identifying and managing uncommon and complex surgical complications in those areas, contraceptive needs for highly complex individuals, and developing strong research and advocacy skills. Fellows achieve competency in complete evaluation and development of treatment plans for complex patients. Over the course of the year, fellows gain more independence in the care of complex patients.

Fellows have the option of completing elective rotations during their training, preferably in the summer between the first and second year.  Options for elective rotations vary based on individual fellows’ interests, and may include low-resource settings, international rotations, and other elective opportunities through the Society of Family Planning.

Fellows are required to take non-renumerated generalist obstetrics and gynecology call throughout their fellowship (one 24-hour Saturday shift per month) to allow them to maintain their generalist skill set. Obtaining general obstetrics and gynecology board certification (i.e., case list collection and oral board completion) is strongly encouraged during the fellowship, if needed. Additionally, fellows have the option of a generalist continuity clinic and general gynecologic surgery during their Hartford Hospital rotations if desired.